Re: GDP: summary and directions, 11 Sep

[Eyolf Østrem]

On 11.09.2007 (17:33), Graham Percival wrote:
> Trevor Bača wrote:
> >That then leaves the question of what to do with the other stuff. What
> >about this?
> >  * Spacing: recast as a separate manual called Page Layout
> >  * Input and output: move to Program Usage
> >  * Changing defaults: move to Program Reference
> >  * Interfaces for programmers: move to Program Reference

> Nu-huh, Program Reference is "where angels fear to tread", remember.  :P

> >That would then leave the following separate books:

> ... ok, what about everybody else?  Think about it for a few minutes 
> before responding: my initial reaction was "WTF is Trevor smoking", but 
> I'm starting to think he wasn't crazy.

I've been thinking. Thoughts:
- I don't mind having chunks of varying sizes, weight, structure, or
  function. I think it's perfectly fine to have one Part with 25
  chapters and one with only one.
- But if "book" means a separate pdf file, for instance, I'm
  vehemently opposed to it.
- I also don't like the idea of shoving off Changing (and, I think,
  Interfaces) to a heading which is going to be appealing only/mainly
  to programmers. As I've argued before, these parts are only one step
  away from the basic notation (whereas working with scheme code
  directly is -- or feels like -- one or two steps further), and
  every effort should be made to encourage users to read this and thus
  to make it easily accessible -- which means: not relegate it to that
  place where Seraphs shiver.
- I have nothing against splitting off the LM as a
  separate document, but the rest should be available in one single
  file ("book"), which may have the main Parts that Trevor suggests.

> For the record, I'm still opposed to this idea, but it's now a "weak 
> reject".  I could be convinced otherwise.

In other words, this is a "weak reject" from me too, but perhaps for
different reasons than yours.

Eyolf

-- 
sugar daddy, n.:
        A man who can afford to raise cain.