Should we skip the guides for v3.6 and do other work, then v3.7?

[jeanweber]

As you all know, we are always running behind, sometimes very behind,
on writing user guides for the six-monthly releases of LO. We don't
have a full set of books for v3.5, and we decided some time ago not to
attempt to update the Writer or Calc guides to v3.5. We intended to
update them to v3.6, but with the people available I don't think we'll
achieve that goal, which is a major shame because those are the most
used books.

In addition, we rarely find time or people to do other things on our
wish list, both production and marketing/distribution of our
documents. There are also docs project things that need doing, usually
by me, to document our processes and keep that info up to date and
organised and mentor newcomers. The list goes on...

From discussions here at the LibreOffice Conference, and similar

discussions at the Community Leadership Summit in Juy, I've been
collecting suggestions and ideas on how to attract and keep people who
can do productive work even if they don't have much time or don't
think they have the necessary skills. One approach that I really like
is the so-called "Easy Hacks" but for docs, not development (where
they are known to work very well). Setting up and managing a set of
easy hacks (and doing other project work) will take time away from
other things we are doing, but it has the potential of adding valuable
people to the group.

So, to find time for some other work, and because I think that we will
not get very many of the v3.6 books done before v3.7 comes along, I
propose that we skip v3.6 user guides, work on other things, and go
directly to updates for v3.7. FYI, the code freeze for v3.7 is
scheduled for the first week in December, with release scheduled for
the first week of February. But updating for v3.7 means we also need
to incorporate changes that are included in v3.5 or v3.6. So there is
much work that can be done right now.

I will write a separate note (or perhaps several) about the other work
that needs to be done from now until early December, and ongoing in
parallel with our user guide work.

Meanwhile, comments?

--Jean

[Tom_Davies]

Hi
+1
If there is time it would be nice to get the GS done for 3.6.x but since that is already available for people for all the other branches i think that can be safely left too.

I think i would suggest going even further and make a decision now not to do the full run of 3.7.x either!  Just the GS in time for Christmas and either Writer or Calc to follow?

Perhaps in the longer term deliberately doing half the guides for one branch and the other half for the next?  Perhaps always the GS?  In the new year perhaps consider dropping to doing 1 full set per year or
per 2 years with updates every 6 months to cover new features and
updates briefly in a short pamphlet.  Could the pamplet be combined into a book to cover all the different modules/apps; Writer, Calc, Impress and all?

Right now the Base handbook is the crucial one to get out there and hopefully without being too specific about which branch it's for.  That could improve things in other areas of TDF so it's tactically important.

Competitors barely manage 1 guide per 3 or 4 years so you have all been doing an incredible job!  It's much appreciated by us lurkers and is getting out there and having an impact.

Regards from
Tom

[jeanweber]

Nitpick: v3.7 is scheduled for release in early February, so no need
to attempt to get GS done by Christmas.

I certainly agree that Writer and Calc guides should be given priority
for v3.7, assuming we can find people to do the work. Perhaps PeterS
can be persuaded to delay work on Draw and Impress and jump into the
Calc or Guide. Perhaps John Smith will come back and work on Writer?
Perhaps someone else will show up? One can hope!

--Jean

[jeanweber]

+1
If there is time it would be nice to get the GS done for 3.6.x but since
that is already available for people for all the other branches i think that
can be safely left too.

I think i would suggest going even further and make a decision now not to do
the full run of 3.7.x either! Just the GS in time for Christmas and either
Writer or Calc to follow?

Nitpick: v3.7 is scheduled for release in early February, so no need
to attempt to get GS done by Christmas.

Well, other than clearing the decks to work on Writer and Calc, that is.

[k-jw]

Hi Tom, *,

Hi
+1
If there is time it would be nice to get the GS done for 3.6.x but since that is already available for people for all the other branches i think that can be safely left too.

I think i would suggest going even further and make a decision now not to do the full run of 3.7.x either!
Just the GS in time for Christmas

I don't think that Christmas will be practicable because at Christmas we will have a Beta2 of 3.7 and the Hard English string & UI freeze is in week 4 of 2013 [1]. So we don't know the exact termini of the new features and so on.

[1] http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/ReleasePlan/3.7#3.7.0_release

and either Writer or Calc to follow?

Writer or Calc should follow because there we have no 3.5 version.

Perhaps in the longer term deliberately doing half the guides for one branch and the other half for the next?

+1

Perhaps always the GS? In the new year perhaps consider dropping to doing 1 full set per year or
per 2 years with updates every 6 months to cover new features and
updates briefly in a short pamphlet. Could the pamplet be combined into a book to cover all the different modules/apps; Writer, Calc, Impress and all?

... as an own chapter at the end of the book (?).

[Tom_Davies]

Hi
I meant roughly 'like' the GS but call it something like "New Features Guide".  One chapter for Writer, one for Calc, one for Draw etc.

Each chapter only contains a brief idea of how to handle the new features or show how an improvement has shortened a work-flow described in the last published guide.  Then hopefully the contents might make it easier to merge into the main guide for the next release.

It's probably too much work to amend the published guides by adding the relevant chapter for each but it would be a nice touch.  Just add something in the title to show that it's basically the same book but with an update if that's not complicated or time-consuming.  I was really thinking of something for the wiki, not for general noobs.

Regards from
Tom

[PeeWee]

Hello Jean

Version 3.6 for Draw should not take very long. First impressions there is little difference between 3.5 and 3.6. However, the indexing needs to be done and this may slow me down a little. Also I shall be on vacation from Saturday and back at my home desk 12 November.

I think Impress 3.6 will be the same as Draw 3.6.

I have not looked at the other guides even though I am using LibreOfficxe. I am ones those who skips the guides until I want to do something different.

I am willing to tackle any other guide. However, my spreadsheet and database experience is very limited, but do have enough knowledge not to get phased trying to work things out.

Just let me know which one to get my teeth into.

Regards
PeterS