[DOC-SIG] Library reference manual debate

[Guido van Rossum]

Fred Drake:

> Guido,
>   I did want to comment on this.  So far, I haven't seen anyone write
> that you should do the work to switch over to SGML or anything else.
> I think that Paul and I, perhaps with additional collaborators if
> anyone is interested and can squeeze out the time, can muster the
> technical expertise to do the work.
>   The issue is:  Are you willing to consider using an SGML/XML based
> solution as the canonnical form for the documentation if handed to you 
> on a silver platter and it meets the requirements?  Are you willing to 
> help us review the requirements to be sure we aren't leaving anything
> out that's in there now, or that really needs to be in there?  This is 
> a question that needs to be answered.  From another message you wrote, 
> this may be the case, but I'm not certain I didn't misinterpret.

I am not rejecting SGML unseen.  If it gets handed to me on a silver
platter I will review it.  Until very recently I hadn't heard anyone
volunteer anything, just a lot of arguing (including my own :-).

This has changed.  I am still skeptical about how easy it will be for
Joe Random Contributor to contribute documentation (this means both
the input format and the tools to produce at least one HTML or
PostScript so they can review what they are contributing) so I think
that's where the pudding's proof will have to be.

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)

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