[Freeswitch-users] Should I choose FreeSwitch?

Jason Garland jgarland at gmail.com
Fri Sep 21 15:29:05 EDT 2007 

How about documentation bounties? Something like $5 - $10 each. ;)

On 9/21/07, Michael Collins <mcollins at fcnetwork.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> Anthm is right – the best source for documentation is users who know how to
> write about their experiences.  Brian made a good point: he sucks at writing
> documentation but he's more than willing to read documentation prepared by
> members of the community.  Anthm and Brian are also very good about
> answering questions, so if you've got an idea for a document and aren't sure
> about the specifics you can always ask the coders for guidance.  Believe me,
> those hacking the code will be eternally grateful to those who hack the
> documentation.  Even if all you do is get something started and then ask for
> guidance then that would be great.  Programmers generally hate writing
> documentation, and one reason is the so-call "blank page effect."
>
>
>
> Trixter has shown that he's willing to work diligently on this as well.
> There is no shortage of brain power for greasing the wheels that produce the
> documentation.  However, the community is better served by having that brain
> power focused on the product itself, not the documentation of the product.
>
>
>
> Don't forget one of the great quotes of our time: "Documentation is like
> sex: when it's good, it's really good, and when it's bad, it's better than
> nothing."
>
>
>
> If people really want documentation but are unwilling/unable to produce it
> themselves, perhaps they'd be willing to pony up a few bucks for a
> documentation bounty?  If every person who wished for better/more
> documentation offered $5 or $10 to put into the pot then we'd quickly have a
> nice new incentive for some of the power users to step up and hammer out
> some professional-level documentation.  (Personally, I'd be willing to seed
> the pot with $25 or so.)
>
>
>
> Just a thought.
>
>
>
> -MC
>
>
>
> P.S. – as much as this thread feels like a waste, it isn't.  When a FOSS
> project gets to the point where people are clamoring for documentation, and
> doing so passionately, then it's a sign that the project has arrived.
> Congrats to Anthony, Brian, and the rest of the community.  You've come a
> long way from the days where the FS main page had a little cave man
> hammering on is stone wheel!
>
>
>
>
>  ________________________________
>
>
> From: freeswitch-users-bounces at lists.freeswitch.org
> [mailto:freeswitch-users-bounces at lists.freeswitch.org] On
> Behalf Of Anthony Minessale
>  Sent: Friday, September 21, 2007 11:24 AM
>  To: freeswitch-users at lists.freeswitch.org
>  Subject: Re: [Freeswitch-users] Should I choose FreeSwitch?
>
>
>
>
>
> Ha,
>
>  Too bad all the text going back and forth in this thread
>  was not actual documentation instead of deliberations about
>  documentation practices or we'd be done already =D
>
>  Anyone who want's to do anything to help the documentation
>  effort by my guest to make any wiki page etc you need.
>  I don't see a mad rush of volunteers so I won't hold my breath
>  or anything but if I run out of bugs to fix and code to write
>  I will start working on this myself.....
>
>
>
>
>
> Anthony Minessale II
>
>  FreeSWITCH http://www.freeswitch.org/
>  ClueCon http://www.cluecon.com/
>
>  AIM: anthm
>  MSN:anthony_minessale at hotmail.com
>  GTALK/JABBER/PAYPAL:anthony.minessale at gmail.com
>  IRC: irc.freenode.net #freeswitch
>
>
>
>  FreeSWITCH Developer Conference
>  sip:888 at conference.freeswitch.org
>  iax:guest at conference.freeswitch.org/888
>  googletalk:conf+888 at conference.freeswitch.org
>  pstn:213-799-1400
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
>  From: Jonas Gauffin <jonas.gauffin at gmail.com>
>  To: freeswitch-users at lists.freeswitch.org
>  Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 8:47:15 AM
>  Subject: Re: [Freeswitch-users] Should I choose FreeSwitch?
>
>
> I'm not talking about if people can or can't edit the pages.
>
>  I'm talking about users that want to find or read documentation (not
>  contribute). For instance: New users.
>
>  They want to find documentation and read it. Those users can give
>  valuable feedback to us (so that we can make the documentation better)
>  if they do not understand it / think that some documentation is
>  missing.
>
>  What I want is a way for those users to give us that feedback. They
>  can, as you say, edit the  pages and add their questions / suggestions
>  directly in the page. But what will a page look like if 20 users have
>  added questions / suggestions for improvement on it?
>
>  Again: I'm not talking about user who can contribute with information
>  (having know-how), but about new users who want to use/configure
>  FreeSwitch (like new users).
>
>  There are a section on the first page called "Community and Support"
>  on the first page which tells the user how to get help. Maybe there
>  should also be a section called "How to give feedback" too?
>
>
>  On 9/20/07, Trixter aka Bret McDanel <trixter at 0xdecafbad.com> wrote:
>  > On 9/20/07, Jonas Gauffin <jonas.gauffin at gmail.com> wrote:
>  > > Ahh.. My mistake. I searched for both "FAQ" and "Frequently asked
>  > > questions" without getting a hit.
>  > >
>  >
>  > The searching on that site is admittedly a bit weak, I do not know
>  > what to do about that, nor do I have any control over that since its
>  > the people that have direct control of the site.  I will talk to
>  > someone and see if there is anything they can do in that regard.
>  >
>  >
>  > > Then I saw this in the documentation guidelines: "Try to avoid FAQs".
>  > > My conclusion was therefore that it was removed. But I found it now =)
>  > >
>  >
>  > The 'try to avoid faqs' in the guidelines refers to documenting a
>  > module or something else.  If you were to document mod_something there
>  > shouldnt be a need for a FAQ about that module, since the
>  > documentation should explain what it does and how to use it.  If you
>  > feel the need for a FAQ on mod_something then perhaps the
>  > documentation itself should be extended to answer those questions. :)
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > > My point was that people who can't contribute with information should
>  > > be able to REQUEST information. Those requests shouldn't be added in
>  > > the documentation, but in the Talk pages or special request pages
>  >
>  > I dont understand, they have to edit a wiki page to request
>  > information or add to the talk section, but they cant edit a different
>  > wiki page to actually create documentation?  Almost seems like its an
>  > extra layer of stuff that people would have to actively seek out to
>  > read and then update the documentation just to create this process.
>  >
>  > Why cant people contribute to the documentation effort but could
>  > contribute to wiki pages on the same system?
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > >
>  > > I created the documentation guidelines page too :) But that's for ppl
>  > > that can actually contribute in the documentation. Not for ppl that as
>  > > missing or not understanding some documentation.
>  > >
>  >
>  > everyone can contribute, you make it sound like only some people are
>  > allowed and others cant.  Maybe that is my misunderstanding when you
>  > constantly refer to people who cant edit documentation but can edit
>  > some other page on the wiki.
>  >
>  > I just dont understand why this extra layer is a good thing, if people
>  > can add to those pages they can add to the documentation itself.
>  > There is a list of missing documents, which I periodically update, as
>  > well as a list of empty pages which I update at the same time.  If
>  > someone were to link to a page that doesnt exist, during the
>  > generation of the PDF I would see that and be able to edit that list,
>  > thus forming a 'weak spot in the documentation' list, which currently
>  > is there, on the main documentation page.
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > --
>  > Trixter http://www.0xdecafbad.com     Bret McDanel
>  > Belfast +44 28 9099 6461        US +1 516 687 5200
>  > http://www.trxtel.com the phone company that pays you!
>  >
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