Towards The Manual

BrendaWang brenda_wang at openmoko.com
Mon Dec 22 08:43:58 CET 2008


Roland Whitehead ??:
> On 18 Dec 2008, at 13:54, Minh wrote:
>
>   
>> I can't help but think at night about how I would setup a project to  
>> make
>> the missing Neo FreeRunner manual.
>>     
>
> You may have seen my posting to the community list about turning a  
> brick into a phone but I have, as a result, discussed with many people  
> the issues facing someone who is new to OpenMoko. By "new" I mean  
> someone who has experience in running Unix of some sort and isn't  
> phased by the command line, probably has some experience either with  
> developing software or administrating computers (i.e., is an  
> "experienced computer user") but who so far hasn't been able to make  
> any good use of the OpenMoko device. I don't mean an end user whose  
> knowledge extends only as far as pressing the "on" button.
>
> The number 1 problem is getting the device into a state where it can  
> be used.
Yes, I agree . And this problem can be solve by static content. Like an 
manual .
And we should leave fast changing content on wiki.

> You can pick a distribution and flash it but a) how do you  
> know which distribution to pick and when you've picked it, b) which  
> files do you choose to to flash and then c) what configurations do you  
> have to set. I don't think people want to do anything particularly  
> clever but I would want to make and receive calls setting the right  
> ring tone, hook up to a wireless network, ssh to the device wirelessly  
> (who needs a USB tether?), set the energy saving parameters and from  
> there install whatever you fancy. It might be nice in all states to  
> know where you are so let's get GPS going at the same time. A chapter  
> describing and debating the distros would be a good start and then a  
> chapter for each distro ending up with phones in the same sort of  
> state would then be a good second.
>
> The problem is, the distro's change so quickly that you wouldn't get  
> anything printed before it was out of date...
>
> As a result of my posting, I'm already building up the chapter on  
> getting SHR running so I'll volunteer that if it would be wanted.
>
> BTW. If you need to go from Wiki to a print quality PDF we have a tool  
> that does just that via some simple CSS styles using the Prince XML to  
> HTML converter (http://www.princexml.com). We haven't yet written a  
> complete published book with it but have used it for fully illustrated  
> manuals. Let me know if this is of interest. Sure saves messing with  
> XSLT!
>
>
> Roland
>   




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