Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 16:00:56 -0700 (PDT)
From: Poet/Joshua Drake 
To: lwn@lwn.net
Subject: OpenSource Documentation Fund


The OpenSource Documentation Fund.

The Fund, which will be driven by sales from OpenDocs Books is being
implemented to help invigorate the Open Source Documentation Community. 

Traditionally documentation has been the lame duck of the Open Source
community. Although the documentation is usually technically accurate it
is difficult for new users to understand or written in what we like to
call "Geek Grammar". 

Geek Grammar is a mix between leaving out punctuation and having 65 word
sentences. Although Geeks usually can read this without blinking an eye,
novices geeks sometimes have a problem interpreting the point an author is
trying to make. 

The Fund will have an selective bid process that allows people and
businesses to submit a request for funds for documentation. Although the
final implementation details have yet to be solidified this is what we do
know: 

1. Authors will be able to request funds for work on existing projects 

2. Authors will be able to request funds for new (yet to be written)
projects 

3. People and Companies will be able to request that a project be started 

4. People and Companies will be able to request that a document or project
be updated or edited. 

4. Editors will be hired to help authors keep their writings readable 

5. There will be a set amount per book sold that is set aside for the fund 

The second book OpenDocs published; Administrating Linux: The Basics is
the first that will be part of this fund. The book is available now from
leading Linux sites such as http://www.linuxports.com and
http://www.linuxcentral.com. Every time somebody purchases the book
Administrating Linux: The Basics OpenDocs will place 3.00-5.00 USD into
the fund. If we sell 1000 books we will disperse anywhere from
3000.00-5000.00 in to the fund. If we sell 5000 books we will disperse
anywhere from 15,000-25,000 into the fund, etc... 




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LDP		- http://www.linuxdoc.org	
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start asking why software is ignoring 30 years of accumulated wisdom. 
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