+1 Jean
On Fri, 3 Dec 2021 at 19:09 Steve Fanning <[email protected]> wrote: > Hello All, > > Thanks for the feedback received about how to progress the Base Guide. > > Based on my current understanding of its status, I would like to make > the following two suggestions: > > (1) That we issue a 7.2 Base Guide within the next few days. I’m happy > to collate the book based on the existing 6.4 chapters (but within a 7.2 > style template), apart from the Preface. My suggestion is to update the > Preface so that: > > a) It does not have a statement explaining that the Firebird > implementation within Base is “full of bugs” on its first page, and > b) It has a greater level of consistency with the prefaces to > other LibreOffice guides, and > c) It includes a statement that there are no significant changes > from 6.4. > > In my opinion, the fact that there is no significant software change > since 6.4 justifies this approach and, if there is no dissent, then I > can create this book rapidly. > > (2) That we look to implement a relatively significant update to the > Base Guide to coincide with a later build of software. This may involve > restructuring and other changes, as have been identified in emails on > this list during the past few days. I would be happy to start work on > this and coordinate the production of such an update. > > The reviewing work that has been done so far (primarily by Felipe and > Dev) will be extremely useful for improving the material in this book. > Many thanks to them for that work. It might be worth pausing the review > of the Base Guide chapters while we gather our thoughts on what should > be done to the document. Ideas can be exchanged through this email list, > or via the Documentation Team meetings. > > Please let me know if anybody is unhappy with this outline approach or > would like to suggest something different. > > Regards, > > Steve > > On 02/12/2021 01:41, Felipe Viggiano de Souza wrote: > > Hello Steve, > > > > > > Just uploaded a first review of the BG7002 and checked out the BG7204. > > > > Since I do not have any experience in the LO Base, I have just made > > some superficial suggestions. > > > > About your considerations: > > > > i. There were some reference to bugs and a lot of pictures without > > caption. > > > > ii. As far as I could tell, the features are pretty much the same for > > this chapter, didn't notice some significant change (I'm referring > > only to the GUI, can't say much for the code presented). > > > > > > Are we planning to deliver the Base Guide still in 2021? Asking this > > because, if not I think we could use some second reviews on these > > documents. > > > > > > Best regards, > > > > Felipe Viggiano > > > > > > Em 29/11/2021 08:20, Steve Fanning escreveu: > > > >> Hi Team, > >> > >> During the past few days, I have spent some time looking at the 6.4 > >> Base Guide as we begin to review and update it. Unfortunately, if we > >> are to improve the quality of the book then the task may involve > >> significantly more effort and time than we at first anticipated. > >> > >> This conclusion has been drawn based on my work to date and is a > >> result of the following main factors: > >> > >> * Previous emails have noted that the document would benefit from a > >> refresh of the figures. What I hadn’t considered was that the “user > >> data” within many of the figures is based on German examples, which > >> isn’t ideal for an English language document. I have also found that > >> the structure of the example “Media_without_Macros” database doesn’t > >> quite match the figures in Chapter 3 (Tables). Hence there is > >> additional effort needed to re-work some of the underlying sample > >> databases to review their structure and include English data. > >> * When reviewing the early sections of Chapter 3 (Tables), I was > >> surprised by the level of change necessary to get the detail correct > >> for 7.2. We can only assume that this is also the case in other > >> chapters (maybe Felipe and Dev could comment on whether Chapters 1 > >> and 2 follow this trend). > >> * I was a little shocked when I found out how many bugs are explicitly > >> referenced in the text, with links to Bugzilla, and this feels like > >> it could be a marketing disaster. Just to give an idea of the scope > >> of this problem, I found specific references to the following bugs > >> within the text 46180, 51452, 51453, 51959, 53027, 61871, 73707, > >> 80320, 82411, 82591, 87290. Also, statements like “Firebird engine > >> is very good, it is its implementation in base which is full of > >> bugs” and “The Report Builder is somewhat treacherous in use, as > >> certain functions are available in theory but don’t work in > >> practice” may be true but don’t create a great impression. > >> * Discussion in the mailing list has indicated that we should update > >> the technical content of the document in a few areas (e.g., > >> comparison of HSQLDB and Firebird; "Auto Grow" feature in reports; > >> changes to Writer and maybe Calc may affect discussions of the > >> interaction between Base and other LO components). > >> * Previous authors and editors believed that the document should be > >> re-structured (see for example > >> > https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/Development/User_Guide_Tasks#Base_Guide). > > >> > >> > >> I don’t think that all the above can be addressed quickly. Therefore, > >> to make rapid progress (and complete the set of 7.2 guides), should > >> we issue the 7.2 Base Guide simply as a cosmetic update to the 6.4 > >> version? The ODT files have already been updated to the LO7 style and > >> the 7.2 book covers are available. With no substantial change then > >> there should be little reviewing required. However, I have already > >> prepared an updated Preface and it might be worth including that. > >> > >> Meanwhile we can continue reviewing/improving the material in > >> preparation for a future update. > >> > >> All views would be very welcome. > >> > >> Regards, > >> > >> Steve > >> > > > > -- > To unsubscribe e-mail to: [email protected] > Problems? > https://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/ > Posting guidelines + more: https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette > List archive: https://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/documentation/ > Privacy Policy: https://www.documentfoundation.org/privacy > -- To unsubscribe e-mail to: [email protected] Problems? https://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/ Posting guidelines + more: https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette List archive: https://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/documentation/ Privacy Policy: https://www.documentfoundation.org/privacy
