[Geany] RFC: Setting up a monthly newsleter?

Mon Feb 7 23:31:04 UTC 2011

On 8 February 2011 10:13, Russell Dickenson <russelldickenson at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 8 February 2011 09:08, Lex Trotman <elextr at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 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?
>
> That's what I thought but I'll wait in eager anticipation to hear from Frank. :)
>
>
>>>>> > 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.
>
> Thanks.
>
> I'll start writing my first article and we'll see how it goes.
>
>
>>>>> >>> 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.
>
> Shrug!? I'm sorry but this sort of attitude can only lead to utter
> chaos and anarchy. :P The world *must* have order and this includes
> getting ALL cApItaLisAtiOn correct!

Not to mention capitaliZation if your spull chucker is set to US English :-)

English is *such* a very standard language .... everyone has their own standard!

Cheers
Lex

>
>
>> 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
>
> --
> Russell
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