Base Handbook Preface updated

I have updated the Preface to the Base Handbook to remove or replace
out of date information on the Copyright page and in the text of the
chapter. I have put it in this folder:
http://www.odfauthors.org/libreoffice/english/base-handbook/edited42

I plan to go through the other drafts and update the Copyright pages.
I may also do some other editing, or I may not. I'll keep you
informed.

--Jean

Jean,

I notice that you uploaded this to the Edited folder. Can we assume that anything in this folder is ready for proofreading and does not require extensive review or editing? That's a correct assumption in the case of the Preface, and also Chapter 1, Introduction to Base, but (IMO) not with regard to any of the other chapters in the Handbook v. 4.2.

I just want to make sure that we're all using the ODFAuthors files in the same way to keep track of what's been done and what needs doing.

Best,
Alan

Hi :slight_smile:
My impression is that there is an ideal way;
1. write, edit and make additions
2. review for technical accuracy
3. proof-read for grammar and maybe de-geekifying a bit more
but that steps 2 and 3 can sometimes be switched around in the interests of
expediency.

When Jean, Hazel, Peter (Peewee) and other longer-term members do either of
step 2 or 3 it is often safe to skip the other process (maybe except for
Base). The new Alan apparently did do both processes in one go too.

I think there is a certain amount of impatience now to just get the books
completed and published. The next iteration might focus on steps 2 and 3
more. However quite a few people have just joined the team and are quite
up for doing both steps 2 and 3 if there is time.

Most of the guides probably weren't completely brilliant in their first
releases (either?) but have become far more professional over time. There
is a mantra "Release early and release often". If people can see and
comment on the guides then they can give feedback that might lead to
improvements. Sometimes it even encourages people to join a Docs Team to
help improve things if they see them as being nearly within their
capability! It's not good tactics to do it deliberately though! Even a
fairly bad guide is better than none, especially at the quality you all
do. Even the first releases were probably better than most of the
competition.

I think this team's equivalent of the coverity score is probably similarly
awesome as you all seem to have a high level of integrity. However at the
end of the day we do need guides to be out there more than we need them to
be perfect every time.
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile: