Common files (was Re: Minutes of Docteam Meeting)

[Matthew East]

On Sat, 2006-02-18 at 01:15 +0800, Jerome Gotangco wrote:

> Minutes of meeting - Ubuntu Documentation Project
> 02172006 14UTC @ #ubuntu-meeting = chat.freenode.net

{snip}

> 1. Use of common files for a number of documents. For example,
> preface.xml and getting-help.xml should be common between all documents.
> (mdke)
> 
> This was not discussed thoroughly as mdke was not around during the
> meeting but the idea was accepted by some. Moved for next meeting

There was no need to have me around to discuss this! I'm keen to move
along with the idea, so I'll outline the proposal here, and people can
object on the thread, if they don't agree.

I think we should use common files for some guides. In particular, I'm
thinking of preface.xml which contains (a) conventions and (b)
instructions for giving feedback on documents. I'd envisage using this
file at least for the Ubuntu Desktop, Server and Packaging guides, and
the kubuntu guides might like to adopt it too.

The advantages of using one file for many guides are pretty obvious:
improvements only have to be made once, translation only has to be done
once, etc.

I've added common/C/preface.xml as a start (which I took from the
desktop guide, and simplified slightly), and if people like the idea I
will use that file for the desktop guide, and hopefully other guides
will follow suit! I'd also like to do the same for getting-help.xml, a
chapter which specifies the various methods of getting help.

Matt
-- 
mdke at ubuntu.com
gnupg pub 1024D/0E6B06FF
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