[TAG] Ya know, I've changed my mind.

[Benjamin A. Okopnik]

On Wed, Nov 02, 2005 at 06:38:01PM +0000, Thomas Adam wrote:
> On Wed, Nov 02, 2005 at 07:52:48AM -0700, Benjamin A. Okopnik wrote:
> > them; even if you've said, before, please repeat. There are times it
> > takes a few attempts to penetrate my headbone, and I can definitely
> > use some help here.
> 
> Well, all my thoughts on this were published here:
> 
>  http://linuxgazette.net/103/TWDT.html#wanted.1

Well, in reviewing it, I see that it's pretty much what I recalled: I
agree with you when you say that the times have changed and we now have
a different readership, but that's not a solution - it's just a
restatement of the situation. I'm pretty comfortable with thinking that I
perceive and understand what the situation is; the problem is that no
solution is jumping out to suggest itself.

> > I'm visualizing the top bar being color coded for one of a variety of
> > tip types (System Config, Hardware, Programming, etc.) and the text
> > in the top bar being a link to the "Posting to the Answer Gang" FAQ.
> > We would also end up with yet another resource (a "TAG Tips" page in
> > addition to the Knowledge Base.) This would, in my opinion, produce a
> > bit more exposure for TAG as The Fount of Deep Knowledge, but would
> > require all articles to be routed through here... hmm. Actually, if I
> > send them in here before they're proofed - and everybody knows that
> > they're going to be - I don't see it resulting in any delays.
> 
> I'm skeptical of this.  How would us inserting comments into an author's
> work, be any different than us just declaring it a TAG entry?

Because it's a short comment rather than a long discussion, much like
the editorial comments that I (and several other people) have inserted
into articles.

> When
> someone writes an article, they've generally done so with the implicit
> idea that the content will remain unchanged.

If anyone is thinking that, I'm afraid that they're mistaken. I take the
time and the trouble to edit out several types of errors, which includes
structure and content; so do the other proofers. I also insert comments
when I believe they're called for; i.e., I'm going to comment if
somebody says "to edit a file, just reboot into Wind0ws and run Notepad"
with something like

<p class="editorial">
Note: Linux has a number of editors, from the simplest to the very
sophisticated; rebooting into Wind0ws to simply edit a file is
unnecessary. For more info, type <code>apropos -s 1 editor</code> at
your command prompt.
</p>

The only things my suggestion would add would be a) a bit of color for
instant tip-type identification and b) give us the ability to look for a
fixed tag (i.e., <p class="tag_tip">) so we can autogenerate the "Tip
Sheet".

> How would the flow of the
> prose read with added extras from us?  I'd probably find it distracting.

Well, if we were judging it on artistic merit, I'd say that the judges
would probably _not_ grant most of these articles a place in the "Top
100 stories ever written" category... and I'm afraid that the tip
entries wouldn't be the reason. :)

> Not to mention I would then assume my work was sub-standard.

[blink] Do you also assume that because it's published with a header, a
footer, and your bio?

> On the other hand though, the idea would allow for a more
> spread-spectrum structure in terms of editing.  I don't know.  I'm jyst
> not very forth-coming about the idea.
> 
> Sorry, Ben.

Nothing to be sorry about, amigo; it's an opinion, and I thank you for
it. I'm still mulling on this... I just want to contribute something
positive, something that would improve things for the Gang and LG. I
know we all enjoy each other's company - I just know we enjoy it a lot
more when we're cooperating on problem-solving.

I just want to make Linux a little more fun. :) [1]


[1] In parallel with Neal Stephenson's "Zodiac": "I just want to stop
pollution!" (If you haven't read it, you should. :)


* Ben Okopnik * Editor-in-Chief, Linux Gazette * http://linuxgazette.net *