[Debian-np-devel] Binary files, big problems

[Otavio Salvador]

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 || On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 00:50:40 -0300
 || "Benj. Mako Hill" <mako@bork.hampshire.edu> wrote: 

	bmh> On Sun, Jun 27, 2004 at 09:29:24PM -0300, Otavio Salvador wrote:
	>> I was thinking about what is currently did in subversion in doc/
	>> directory and is really good produce documentation and reports *but*
	>> this should be done in a better format, IMHO.

	bmh> I think you're preaching to the choir. I can't speak for everyone else
	bmh> but even if OOo produce non-binary-blob documentation, I'd still
	bmh> advocate using something else. :)

	bmh> Micah can c correct me if I'm wrong but I think Micah made the
	bmh> executive decision to go with OOo format because we had to get this
	bmh> report, formatted and gleaming, delivered in a very short amount of
	bmh> time he didn't want introduce another technology (and variable) into
	bmh> the equation. The folks getting this report won't be too interested in
	bmh> the way we can create conflicts as a result. :)

        Yes. I know about it but later, after we have this report done
        we should think in one better alternative.

	>> Possible problems with current format is about if someone did a
	>> change and *before* this person commit, someone else did another
	>> change in same file. The SVN will block the commit since it is not
	>> against the last file version and then this person will try todo a
	>> svn up. Now, this person will *LOST* all your changes since SVN
	>> cannot deal nicely with binary diffs.

	bmh> It's not quite as dire as you imply.

	bmh> What you need to do is move the changed file out of the way, update to
	bmh> grab the new version. Now, load up OOo and do a "compare files"
	bmh> between the new updated one and the changed one your end. Struggle
	bmh> with that until you get a new version and then commit.

        Since you cannot do a good compare only looking what you see
        changed, probably you will lost some information doing this.

	>> I think we need choose a default format for documentation like LaTeX
	>> or SGML. What you think about it?

	bmh> We should use DocBook XML (or even SGML) for documentation. tLDP and
	bmh> others are already using DB exclusively and the stylesheets are
	bmh> nice. There are quite a few decent tools for dealing with it. Even
	bmh> Debian has a policy of moving away from their own DebianDoc to DB so
	bmh> for their own documentation so this seems like a relatively
	bmh> uncontroversial decision.

	bmh> If people want help formatting/laying out DB documents or a little IRC
	bmh> tutorial. I'm happy to help as I've done quite a bit of work in
	bmh> DocBook and a bit of work on the stylesheets as well.

        I never used SGML for documentation, only LaTeX, so will be
        good learn some new issue ;-)

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