Script Only Stack Architecture

[Kay C Lan]

On Sat, Apr 2, 2016 at 9:45 AM, Sannyasin Brahmanathaswami
<brahma at hindu.org> wrote:
> How do we do that. Via Git hub? we pull the entry edit and then push back with changes?
>
Those who want to contribute will find Ali's guide essential:

https://github.com/livecode/livecode/blob/community-docs/docs/contributing_to_docs.md

Richard has also linked a couple of times to this Blog post which
links to the above:

https://livecode.com/putting-the-you-in-documentation/

And now stepping on very thin ice I will go against the grain of 'User
Notes' as previously implemented and currently re-suggested. Again, as
an interim step I see them as very useful for capturing nuggets of
information. The great thing about them is, as stated by Jacque, you
don't need to learn any markup (or Git), and you can (could) do it
immediately.

IMO the ideal solution would be the Dictionary act like a Wiki Editor.
Those with Contributor Accounts get Edit buttons in each of the
relevant sections of each Dictionary entry. You want to add an
excellent example, then you click the Example section Edit button and
you add it right there, where it should be, and where it will be
automatically colour coded; not at the bottom of a dozen other
people's User Notes in lost black and white. You have a Warning,
Caution or Tip that needs highlighting, then that is how it's
presented; again not hidden amongst other User Notes in the same bland
font. Also, a one line Example entry would be just that, a one line
entry. The User Note format bloats it out with inclusion of who added
it, and a time stamp and a couple of blank lines around the entry so a
single line of relevance takes up 4 or 5 lines of Dictionary screen
space. I personally don't need my name attached to every contribution
I make - for those that do, maybe a list of Doc Contributor names in
the About Livecode box similar to the list of names of LC Community
contributors that currently appears.

The Dictionary is really only a glorified Wiki. I suspect most people
believe the success of Wikis is due to community contribution, but I
believe just as important is Wikis FORCE a standard format and
presentation, everything in it's right place, everything found where
it should be. I think one of the problems Richard alludes to re bloat
can be avoided if people are forced to think where exactly in the
Dictionary entry structure does my nugget of information fit in and
how do I word it so it does fit with the paragraph before and after.
As a bonus, you can also quickly correct that minor spelling error in
the preceding paragraph.

The Dictionary is just another Livecode stack, so this is all possible
with the talent and technology we have in front of us, the hardest
thing to implement would be the Git integration so that each
addition/amendment is vetted before inclusion with the next release
and visible to the rest of us.

Actually the biggest problem is who(s) is going to do build it. I
believe the Team is still looking for a Community Docs advocate/leader
to corral those with such inclinations and ideas. The reality is the
former idea of User Notes is probably a lot easier/quicker to
implement than turning the Dictionary into an .lcdoc Editor/Git
Integrator.

I should probably keep my big mouth shut from now on as the ice has
surely broken and I'm in very deep water.