Subject: [linux-audio-user] some thoughts about Linux audio software documentation
From: Dave Phillips (dlphilp_AT_bright.net)
Date: Thu Aug 12 2004 - 16:13:02 EEST
Greetings:
Recently I received a letter from a fellow who civilly noted how
atrocious is so much of the documentation for Linux audio software.
While that may be generally true it is also easy to point out specific
excellent docos, e.g., Snd, Csound, LilyPond, Rosegarden, etc., though
too at the same time it must be admitted that even those docs are not
necessarily the most well-organized. Perhaps this fellow's most damning
statement was made re: the HOWTOs available from the Linux Documentation
Project (LDP). I decided to check out the situation myself, and here's
what I found (the doc is followed by its last revision date):
Linux Sound HOWTO July 2001
ALSA Sound mini-HOWTO November 1999
Linux MIDI HOWTO May 2002
Linux MP3 HOWTO December 2001
Worse, the LDP's own documentation refers back to these out-of-date
pieces, making sure that readers continue to be misinformed. I mean no
critique of the excellent LPD, but it seems to me that as a community we
have an obligation to correct this situation. For all the talk about
improving documentation, here's a chance for anyone to get directly
involved. The format for these HOWTOs is simple and already laid out:
what's needed is currency, someone to correct and update the basic sound
& music oriented HOWTOs. Otherwise it might be better if we asked the
LDP to remove the docs in order to mitigate confusion.
Any comments ? Any takers ? Does anyone care ?
Best regards,
dp
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