[FM Discuss] Beyond manuals

[Edward Cherlin]

On Wed, Apr 1, 2009 at 6:22 PM, Andy Oram <andyo at oreilly.com> wrote:
> I've been silent for a couple days, but now I have an evening to answer FM-related mail and start working on the command-line manual again.
>
> John's idea below sounds like a really nice project, although a big one. To give businesses enough information about all the tools for them to feel confident they can trust their businesses to free software, you'd have to say a lot about each tool.
>
> This reminds me that a few years ago I tried to pull together a book about the value of open source software and open formats (two different but related issues) for government. At first I thought I would propose it at O'Reilly, but we decided we couldn't sell enough copies to make money,

Given the publicity over Scott McNealy's report to Obama on Open
Source for government, could that have changed? Or if we can interest
someone in sponsoring a bill to mandate consideration of Open Source
in all Federal software procurement, and setting rules for considering
it at least somewhat fairly, then all of the Beltway Bandits suddenly
have to bone up, that alone would do it. There have been such bills in
several states, and others to mandate open document formats. I don't
know how they are doing this year. Would FSF, EFF, Creative Commons,
and others be willing to join in the effort? Or any of the
specifically political organizations?

http://www.cowtownchronicles.com/2009/03/19/open-documents-standards-proposed-in-texas-legislature/
http://www.consortiuminfo.org/standardsblog/article.php?story=20070206155518882
http://www.consortiuminfo.org/standardsblog/article.php?story=20070328043534903

> so I tried to organize it as a collaborative project covering multiple continents (sound familiar?). That didn't work.
>
> It was an advocacy book, not a how-to book, but the goal was similar: to persuade frightened office managers to make the migration.

Wrong audience, I think. They aren't scared enough yet. I would aim at
activists, legislators, and lobbyists first. But you made me start
thinking of scary titles. ^_^

They're Taking My Windows Away, Ha Ha.
Listen up, if you ever want to see your data again.
Help! I'm a prisoner in an IBM/Windows-only shop!
Windows---On A Plane!

> Andy
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John & Melonie Curwood" <marketing at lovinglearning.co.nz>
> To: discuss at lists.flossmanuals.net
> Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 9:36:18 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
> Subject: Re: [FM Discuss] Beyond manuals
>
> With regards to an OpenOffice manual, maybe create a doing stuff with
> free software manual about running a small business or something which
> would include Openoffice, something like mozilla thunderbird/sunbird or
> evolution for email/organising and something like gnucash or better (I'm
> not familiar with OpenSource Accounting packages) for doing the accounts.
>
> I know it is not as exciting as say the digital foundations book, but it
> could have quite a wide audience.
>
> As some one said earler it would take more that a sprint to put and
> Openoffice manual together, more like a marathon, or in this case maybe
> a triathlon. :)
>
> Cheers,
>
> John
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