[Geany] RFC: Setting up a monthly newsleter?

[Lex Trotman]

On 8 February 2011 09:50, Russell Dickenson <russelldickenson at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 8 February 2011 04:21, Frank Lanitz <frank at frank.uvena.de> wrote:
>> On Mon, 7 Feb 2011 12:21:00 +1000
>> Russell Dickenson <russelldickenson at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> >> The question is: in what format would people like to see the
>>> >> newsletter published? The Ubuntu newsletter is published as a
>>> >> weekly email, for example. The Frugalware Linux newsletter is
>>> >> published on a web site in HTML format. Personally I would prefer
>>> >> that the newsletter's content be hosted on a web site instead of
>>> >> sent out via email. The hosted method makes it easier to correct
>>> >> errors which may occur occasionally. Of course we could announce
>>> >> the latest newsletter in the usual Geany ML(s).
>>> >
>>> > +1 for website, then I can't delete it and an archive can be kept in
>>> > case it contains stuff that lasts beyond this month.
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>
>> I guess depending on the markup language we are choosing in the end,
>> generating a HTML with some nice cc should be the smallest issue as
>> nearly all of them do support such thing.
>
> Sorry but I don't understand what "cc" means. :P

Maybe Frank means css style sheets?

>
>
>>> > Which actually would be a good idea, Geany has a fair bit of
>>> > "hidden" functionality and a "function of the month" exposing
>>> > functions of Geany that people tend to forget would be good, I know
>>> > I keep (re)learning new shortcuts.
>>> >
>>> > And a "Plugin of the month" too :-)
>>>
>>> I agree. A feature/plugin focus of the month would be useful. I know
>>> that it takes me a while to get to know an application like Geany
>>> well. Focusing on a particular feature would make the learning process
>>> easier for people like me. As someone who likes to tweak configuration
>>> settings, hints on these topics would also be useful I believe.
>>
>> In fact this is a nice idea. I'm asking who like to take over this task
>> and provide something like this on a monthly basis for the newsletter?
>
> I'll volunteer for this role. You need to know, though, that I am
> learning Geany so my explanations are likely to be quite simple. This
> may be a good thing because as I learn I can write about what I have
> learned in the newsletter. I'll need someone who is more familiar with
> Geany to check my work though.
>

I can do quick check, just post when committed.


>
>>> >>> Right now I started to put some content together into a LaTeX-file
>>> >>> which will be compiled to PDF and plain text and send out later
>>> >>> once its done.
>>> >>
>>> >> Would you mind sending the finished product to me?
>>> >>
>>> >> A question to Frank and others - do you mind in what format the
>>> >> newsletter's content is written in? I only have experience in using
>>> >> HTML and AsciiDoc (http://www.methods.co.nz/asciidoc/). I would
>>> >> *much* prefer to use AsciiDoc because it "is a text document
>>> >> format for writing notes, documentation, articles, books, ebooks,
>>> >> slideshows, web pages, man pages and blogs. AsciiDoc files can be
>>> >> translated to many formats including HTML, PDF, EPUB, man page." I
>>> >> know that there are similar tools such as "plain text" markup
>>> >> languages but AsciiDoc is the one with which I have most
>>> >> experience.
>>> >
>>> > -1 for Latex, I know Frank is a Latexpert but they are a bit thin on
>>> > the ground, so having to do contributions in Latex would be limiting
>>> > (or would require Frank to do lots of conversion, and we want him to
>>> > have more time for other things :-).
>>>
>>> Yes. Sorry, but I not likely to contribute if I have to learn
>>> something like Latex. It's not something I'm using now, nor likely to
>>> use any time in the near future so I'm simply not motivated to learn
>>> it.
>>
>> I don't care much about the markup language. LaTeX on our level is not
>> more complicated as writing ReST etc. I guess.
>
> I would prefer not to have to learn something like LaTeX but since
> there's a Geany plugin available, I'm happy to stick with LaTeX for
> the moment. As you suggest, Frank, since we're not writing complex
> documents I don't expect the LaTeX markup used to be very complex.
> I'll probably be doing a little cut-and-pasting if that's OK.
>
>
>>> > As an occasional Asciidoc contributor I hate to say this but...
>>> >
>>> > Perhaps the project should stick to one markup language?  Geany's
>>> > documentation is done in reST, a part of Python's docutils which is
>>> > used to produce the Python docs.
>>> > (see http://docs.python.org/documenting/index.html ).
>>> > reST is a "lightweight markup language" quite similar to Asciidoc
>>> > and as you can see from the Geany help file produces HTML (and
>>> > others too IIRC).
>>>
>>> That's the one I was trying to think of! Thanks, Lex, for reminding
>>> me. I included AsciiDoc only as an example. I don't want to complicate
>>> things too much so would be happy to use reST. I currently use
>>> AsciiDoc for other projects but I see no reason to try to force it
>>> upon other people when a similar tool is already in use and doing its
>>> job well.
>>
>> OK. Let's give ReST a try. I guess we will need to have a makefile
>> which is generating the output we need. Who likes to do this? Also I
>> think this should be done after volume 1 has been send to public.
>
> In fact perhaps we should stick with LaTeX for the moment, Frank?
> Since you have experience with this already, creating the necessary
> Makefile should be easier than creating one for reST (or is it ReST
> ?).
>

Shrug??  Its spelled reStructuredText so I guessed little re but who knows.

Cheers
Lex

>
>>> >> Assuming we were using AsciiDoc, we could have a master document
>>> >> which then draws in content from various contributors and is then
>>> >> converted to various formats. This method would make the job of
>>> >> the newsletter's editor a little easier since each piece can be
>>> >> edited separately, then combined into one document.
>>> >
>>> > Anything that simplifies the process is good if it reduces the time
>>> > required of the editor and contributors.  This leads to more
>>> > contributions and more regular publication.
>>>
>>> I'll look into options available via reST. Even if it doesn't offer a
>>> "master document" option natively, I'm sure a custom solution could
>>> easily be created.
>>
>> As mentioned: With usage of git there is no real need to have such
>> thing like a master document as its possible to edit without having
>> unsolvable conflicts.
>
> I am using a master document for the Frugalware Linux newsletter for
> various reasons which probably don't apply to the Geany newsletter. I
> am comfortable using Git and agree that there's no need at the moment
> for a master document.
>
>
>> Cheers,
>> Frank
>> --
>> http://frank.uvena.de/en/
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> --
> Russell
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