[FM Discuss] Discussion about "Bridging the gap between software quality and software education"

[Anne Gentle]

Thanks for writing this up, Andy. I had a good chuckle from the "not so much
fizz" comment especially since I snorted diet Dr Pepper after I read that
line. :)

I have a ton of thoughts but then realized no one should have to read
through a long email just for a couple thoughts. I'll do a longer write up
in a blog entry response once you post the final draft of your essay. But my
main points are:

1. FLOSS Manuals has a community that likely can't be replicated once for
each FLOSS project out there. We're a unique mix of artists, educators,
writers, and open source software users. New open source software projects
are better off leveraging what we've got than trying to create their own...
established ones will have the problem that Andy describes of too many
disparate sources to sift through.
2. Does FLOSS Manuals align itself with the "support" mechanism of running
software, or the "marketing/attention" mechanisms of getting software to be
used? I think by using the term "education" you're combining both, which may
be valid, but might not help FM the community focus its efforts. Does FM
exist to get more people using OSS? Or does FM exist to help people already
using OSS?

I like the suggestions you have -- they agree with my own and in writing my
book *Conversation and Community: The Social Web for Documentation* (which
contains tons of FLOSS Manuals examples, a Book Sprints section mostly
written by Adam, and the foreword by Andy himself!) ) I have revisited these
concepts time and time again.

I keep coming back to the idea that writers can be passionate about writing
for software, if the writers understand and empathize with the user's
perspective constantly. The FLOSS Manuals community, because it consists of
both users and writers and artists and educators, contains an excellent mix
that would be difficult to replicate for _each_ open source project's
community. Right place, right people, right time. But sure, we need to keep
pushing for more improvements, more tasks that can be parceled out beyond
Adam, beyond Aco, beyond Lotte. I think that there needs to be some more
volunteer coordination and even parceling out of micro jobs to answer the
questions you ask that now challenge FLOSS Manuals.

For example, I keep thinking that we probably need a store front. A catalog
(printed or online) with a "real" online store front. A couple of ideas
here: make a Lulu storefront that combines all the available books, for one.
Make an etsy storefront that publicizes and sells the FLOSS Manuals handmade
books. (I love the "handcrafted" idea and would certainly buy at least one
or two titles that are significant to me, at EUR 50 each.)

I'd love more discussion. I'll keep an eye out when you move the draft to
published too.

Thanks,
Anne


On Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 8:46 AM, Andy Oram <andyo at oreilly.com> wrote:
>
> I'm working on a new article that challenges the work of FLOSS Manuals.
We've clearly recruited a lot of people and have a lot of projects going.
But when I use new software and check out the documentation, I get the sense
something different is needed. The following is just a draft:
>
> http://www.praxagora.com/andyo/draft/education_scope.html
>
> I also went on the FM IRC channel with the request for discussion.
>
> Andy
> _______________________________________________
> Discuss mailing list
> Discuss at lists.flossmanuals.net
> http://lists.flossmanuals.net/listinfo.cgi/discuss-flossmanuals.net
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