svnbook.red-bean.com home page feedback

Paul Martel pmartel60 at hotmail.com
Tue Jul 18 07:17:44 CDT 2006


Hi.
I came to http://svnbook.red-bean.com/ (via a StumbleUpon recommendation) 
and <at the risk of contributing feedback !:?{)> I wanted to give my 
feedback on the Feedback/Contributing section of that page:

1. The terms "subjective" and "objective" seem to be reversed in the 
statements:

"For subjective fixes (spelling, grammar, etc.), just include with your 
error-reporting email a patch against the XML sources (and include the word 
[PATCH] in the subject line). For more objective concerns about the tone or 
comprehensibility of a passage, it's best just raise that topic on the 
mailing list."

I realize that by sending this message, I MAY not be following the suggested 
protocol, but how
can I be sure when I am trying to correct the very rule I should be 
following?

I have to admit that the paradoxical nature of this problem tipped the 
scales in deciding whether to get involved like this.

In my defense, I plead as follows:
The feedback/contributing instructions begin:
"For feedback on the book or this website, contact svnbook-dev at red-bean.com  
[listinfo]. If you have spotted errors in the book..."

Here I found a possible workaround to the paradox <or is it another error 
for another paradox, giving me two paradox looking for a full practice 
!:?{)>. It was not clear whether your intent was that feedback about the 
website (vs. the book) such as this should ALL siimply be sent to this list 
vs. following the numbered rules for "errors in the book"?

I would guess (just a guess) that the rules were actually intended to apply 
to the (non-book-content) web pages as well as the (printed or online) book 
content.

Except, if I conveniently chose to guess otherwise, I could avoid the whole 
subjective/objective paradox and all I'd have to do is send this message.

Since, in response, you could soon close this loophole, as I think you 
should, I'd also like to grandfather in another comment at this time. After 
the numbered rules, where you discuss submitting a PATCH, you should add a 
link to tutorial information about the PATCH format and/or how to construct 
a PATCH.

For instance, if I had decided to put off this very comment (asking for the 
link) until after you decided you wanted PATCHes for the web page as well, 
I'd be stuck because I don't know how to make one (yet).

--paul
Paul Martel
new subscriber
former programmer (used SourceSafe, used and once or twice hacked cvs)
svn curious

P.S. For any ESL readers, the "looking for a full practice" comment is just 
a joke, a play on words
involving puns and jargon from both the game of poker and the American 
medical profession.
I do apologize for my self-indulgence.

P.S. For British readers, I also apologise for my poor spelling.






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