[Bf-docboard] Do we need a Blender Manual?

[Almut Brunswick]

It always depends on the actual purpose of an information source wheater 
a written wiki or a video tutorial works better. And in addition, it 
depends on the individual learning type as well as the personal habits 
and preferences. I know that meanwhile many especially younger people 
prefer videos rather than text/picture instructions. But I'm personally 
not fond of the most videos for a first appproach. My objections are 
always the same: Too many actions in too short time, the comments - if 
given at all - are too short or too confusing to grasp the whole thing 
at first glance, and the subsequent access on detail information while 
reworking the content by yourself in Blender is not that optimal. Videos 
with a transcription are much better for later reference, but 
unfortunately just exceptions to the rule.

So the initial question is just of rhetoric nature: A wiki will always 
play a vital role for a tool like Blender. It is mainly designated to be 
a reference, a collection of more or less isolated knowledge snippets 
focussed on supplying a hopefully clarifying answer in a hopefully fast 
accessible way.  So at least on my behalf, there isn't an "either or" 
for videos and wiki at all, but an "as well as".

By the way: I'm new in the wiki team and most recently I was so naughty 
and forward to enroll myself in the Blender Wiki Core Team list. I just 
feel the urgent necessity to enhance and to improve the German 
translations together with other volunteers who are willing and able to 
help me in doing this really giant and never-ending work. Though being a 
relative newbie to Blender, I have the capabilities of a professional 
technical writer in order to provide something more useful and correct 
to German readers than this Babelfish/Google Translator mess you still 
can find on too many pages.

Almut