Mailing-List: contact apache-docs-help@apache.org; run by ezmlm
Message-ID: <3A96A8FA.E927896A@Golux.Com>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 13:16:26 -0500
From: Rodent of Unusual Size <Ken.Coar@Golux.Com>
Organization: The Apache Software Foundation
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To: apache-docs@apache.org
Subject: Re: prototype FAQ
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Joshua Slive wrote:
> 
> Re the numbering.  I did this for a specific reason: If we number
> the FAQ and people start referring to the numbers, then it becomes
> very difficult in the future to do any sort of reorganization.

Only if, as you say, you want to re-order the items.  I do not
regard that as a priority, personally.  The FAQ has been re-ordered
once in the last four years.  This will make twice.

> All questions have URLs, so the numbering shouldn't really be
> necessary.

Um, except that a) you need to type/paste the entire URL, and
b) there is no software-derivable relationship between the fragment
label and the question text.  If you want to use some sort of
non-numeric identifier for each question, so the URL becomes
easily derivable (such as 'faq.html#q23' from '23. Why foo?'),
cool.


> People have been saying that from at least the time I started
> watching the Apache project, and probably long before that.
> It has never happened.  In any case, I don't think it is a
> very useful thing to do.

*shrug*  All right, I will not argue this point.

> What are we losing with this?  Well, as I see it, one of the primary
> reasons that the 1.3 FAQ is unmanageable is this requirement.

Um, who has said it is unmanageable?  I think there have been
noises about there being too much stuff in it, but that is a
'function' issue, not a 'form' one.

> I would guess that a fair number of the FAQs that are asked on
> usenet get asked not because people haven't bothered to look
> at the FAQ, but rather because the FAQ is so unwieldy that they
> gave up before they found the answer.

I would strongly disagree.

> If you want something that can easily be posted to usenet and printed
> as a single page

I am willing to pass on the former, but not on the latter.  The
appearance on screen can be small pages, but there *must* be a link
to a single monolithic page for mailing and printing.

> I'm certainly not going to create some new SSI monstrosity.

If you are implying that the current FAQ is such, then I take personal
exception to this remark.

> However, we will be back in the same unmanageable situation
> in a year or so.

Again, what aspect is the 'unmanageable' one?
-- 
#ken    P-)}

Ken Coar                    <http://Golux.Com/coar/>
Apache Software Foundation  <http://www.apache.org/>
"Apache Server for Dummies" <http://Apache-Server.Com/>
"Apache Server Unleashed"   <http://ApacheUnleashed.Com/>

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