Looking For Projects That Need Documentation? 9
ijones asks: "I have several friends who are professional writers. They're capable of understanding technical & computer things well enough to write about them, and I want to get them into technical documentation (with the ultimate goal of getting them hired at some computer company some day). It would be nice for them to get experience and help out open source projects by writing documentation for some open source software, but software like CVS or GDB is no good since they'd have some trouble understanding what the software is for. Are there any projects out there which could use some documentation that non-geeks could understand well enough to write the documentation? Is there a good clearinghouse for still-to-be-written documentation?"
Sourceforge (Score:4)
Re:Sourceforge (Score:1)
Open Source Writers Group (Score:1)
lacking in today's open source projects is... (Score:1)
Linux Media Labs video capture. (Score:3)
I wrote reverse-engineered documentation for version 1.0.9 of the driver, which they thanked me for and then promptly ignored (they've belatedly added a link to my now-defunct web page; I was hoping they'd take over maintaining/hosting the document). My own version has since dropped off the face of the web (I graduated, and that web account went *poof*).
If you decide to reverse-engineer the current version of their driver and write docs for it, I guarantee that many people who *use* the card will be grateful. I still get occasional requests for help, even though my own document is now hideously out of date. The LML team itself will be vaguely supportive and maybe answer questions for you now and then when they feel like it. To get a copy of my document, hunt down my email address in the LML33 message boards.
Writers' careers? (Score:3)
. .
Could you post a link to some examples or previous commissions?
If your friends are looking for helpful suggestions for pro bono projects, I am sure that it would help people come forward if they could better understand the direction your authors wish to take.
What are your / their personal interests? (I can glean nothing from your /. UID which helps me guess).
For example, when you suggest something "some documentation that non-geeks could understand " I feel uneasy because there is considerable room for confusion in writing from a non - technical background.
A good example of this might be the subject of Linux Human Interfaces - imagine writing about Linux GUIs for a very broad novice audience - do you explain the underpinnings of GNOME vs KDE and how they behave as a result, or how apps may want to find certain libraries installed such as QT, or do you write something like "if KDE, expect this, click here . . "?
To say that writing docs from CVS is not possible does not massively narrow the field of your interest either, without further clarification. However it does seem clear you don't want proposals to write programmers references:)
Also, if the aim is "getting them hired at some computer company some day", then in what department? Pure technical authoring for engineers, with present work as a stepping stone? Marketing copy writing? OEM channel / sales documentation like the "white papers" which Sun used (ages ago)to actually post hardcopy to me by the hundred - weight? All of these could come under the umbrella of "I want to get them into technical documentation".
If this is a question with a person's career in mind, surely the direction, as well as what you can learn are all important. Then, if that is right, I can understand the _right_ pro bono work could be of enormous assistance, and the engagement of benefit to everyone.
It seems to be a commonplace cry from projects of all kinds - "We need someone to write the docs! Help!" As such you make a appealing offer on behalf of your friends, but more detail would certainly help keep they and hopeful project managers from being unnecessarily distracted or disappointed.
Since you also mention your friends are already professional writers, I hope it's not off topic to mention I am professionally engaging a literary / editorial (as opposed to documentation per se) project this year which will be dealing with possibly relevant commercial / technical subjects, with a strong emphasis on underlying systems. (a recent spell of narrowly focussed comments which in part relate to this can be found by looking at my user history on this forum). Feel free to mail me if you have any questions.
Best of luck with it all, whatever you do!
Oh, and Happy New Year!
Re:Sourceforge (Score:2)
All of them.... (Score:1)
In fact, it's rather common to open up a documentation file and see something like "There really isn't much documentation here. If you'd like to write some, let us know".
Seriously, I think the best advice would be to find a project they like which seems underdocumented and have them offer to help.
Netatalk (Score:1)
A good (and getting better) product that lacks much in the land of documentation.