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Call for volunteers to check manual files


From: Chong Yidong
Subject: Call for volunteers to check manual files
Date: Mon, 07 Nov 2005 20:52:11 -0500
User-agent: Gnus/5.11 (Gnus v5.11) Emacs/22.0.50 (gnu/linux)

This is a call for volunteers to help check the manuals for the
upcoming Emacs 22 release.

Before the Emacs developers can release Emacs 22, we need to check the
manuals for factual accuracy, especially the parts describing new
features.  Any help that you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

We need to keep track of how many people have checked different parts
of the manual.  So, if you would like to help, please read and
*follow* these simple instructions:

1. Download the development version of Emacs from CVS.  Instructions
   can be found at

    http://savannah.gnu.org/cvs/?group=emacs

2. Build Emacs.  See INSTALL.CVS, in the source tree, for
   instructions; basically,

    $ ./configure
    $ make bootstrap

3. Read etc/NEWS (in the Emacs source tree) to find the changes made
   to Emacs since version 21.4.

   This is a very long file, but try to read as much as you can.  If
   you can't digest it in one go, skim through it now and come back to
   specific sections later, when you're checking the manuals.

4. Visit admin/FOR-RELEASE, and find the list of Emacs manual files
   that have not been checked.  There are two manuals that need to be
   checked: the Emacs Manual, and the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
   Choose a file that has not been checked by at least two people.
   (It is OK if you want to check the others, but the unchecked files
   are more important.)

5. Read the manual file.  These are Texinfo files (*.texi), and can be
   found in the directory man/ (for the Emacs Manual) or lispref/ (for
   the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.)  You can also read the manuals
   using Info-mode in the Emacs that you built.

   What you are looking for, IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE, are

     * Wrong facts
     * Unclear or misleading statements
     * Spelling or grammar mistakes

   The main goal is to find wrong facts!  It is OK to report other
   types of mistakes, but don't let that detract from this purpose.

   Look out, in particular, for features that are new to Emacs 22.  If
   you are unsure if something is a mistake, go back and check in
   etc/NEWS, or test it out on the Emacs that you built.

6. Once you have checked the *the entire file*, send an email to
   emacs-devel@gnu.org, stating

     * "I have checked [which file(s)]."
     * What mistakes you found (if any).

   The best way to report mistakes is to comment the Texinfo file as
   you are checking it, and send a patch at the end.  For example,
   when you find such a mistake:

      The commands @kbd{M-f} (@code{forward-word}) and @kbd{M-b}
    (@code{forward-word}) move forward and backward over words.  These
    Meta characters are thus analogous to the corresponding control

   Add a comment to it like this:

      The commands @kbd{M-f} (@code{forward-word}) and @kbd{M-b}
    (@code{forward-word}) move forward and backward over words.  These
    @c Should be backward-word.
    Meta characters are thus analogous to the corresponding control

   At the end, run M-x diff and attach the patch to your report.

Thanks for your time.


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