Merging the FAQ -> handbook, build time options, proof ofconcept patch

[Mark Linimon]

On Fri, 3 Dec 2004, Tom Rhodes wrote:

> So, lemmie get this straight.
> 
> Quick and question and answers in the faq, more thorough explinations
> moved into the handbook?

Well, perhaps, "Q/A about the project itself in the FAQ; other Qs
point to As in some other document.  No overlap of Answer text with
any other document".  If it's a "what" or a "why" question, it stays
in the FAQ; if it's a "how", it moves, either to the Handbook, or
its own how-to.

> Here is my problem:  Everyone complains about the FAQ, and what
> is wrong with it.  Right now, like this weekend (today if possible),
> I want to put that issue to bed.

I agree with the former, but don't agree with the latter -- I'd really
rather wait a few days so I can try to hack on the prototype some more
and I'm desperately short of cycles right now.  As you can tell from
what I've posted to date in this thread, I have an idea of what I want
the general principles to be, but until I can see what things would
look like with some prototypes it's just too hard to tell.

And no, I don't want to leave it hanging and never-to-be-resolved,
either, I'm just too trashed right at this moment to put the cycles
in.  It's a big change, I'd rather we do it once and do it right,
forever, and if it means we wait 3-4 days, well, I think it's worth it.

> we need to choose what to do:
> 
> Move most of the FAQ and keep the FAQ simple,

That's what I would like to do.

> So, if you and others are interested in keeping the FAQ alive but
> short, then let's move forward.  Tell me the "big sections" you want
> to see moved and we'll move them. [ ... ] I don't think you and I are
> really getting each others point.  It's like I follow  you, but at the
> same time I'm lost on what exactly it is you want to do.

That's because I'm not 100% sure yet -- I have the general idea but not
all the specifics articulated well, even to myself (i keep trying in
these posts).  I need more cycles to run 2-3 more iterations of moving
things around to see what it would look like and I'm just not going to
have those cycles in the next 48 hours.

mcl