When the tail starts wagging the dog...

[bra|10n]

I'm the first to admit I don't get the whole idea of Ubuntu Accomplishments. I know it sounds like I've just fired the first shot, but it strikes me as the equivalent of buying your own trophies and engraving your name here.

One of the best things about using Linux for me is its lack of hype. Very few prima donnas in a world where a spade is a spade, and a sense that I know what I know and that's all that really matters. What I don't know is yet to be learned. I have nothing to prove, and similarly nothing to defend. Think gui v's konsole.

Today I found this article in Akregator.

What do you make of it?

Seriously why would a community manager and several Ubuntu developers be all over this like flies on a log?

[Ole Juul]

Seriously why would a community manager and several Ubuntu developers be all over this like flies on a log?

Because they think that function follows form?

[bra|10n]

Because they think that function follows form?

As in, "There's a trophy for that?"

[woodsmoke]

Well, I don't know, I think that they are just trying to get "the average bloke" who would never, otherwise, think of contributing to give it a try.

That kind of person will never get paid. All the person "MIGHT" get is a listing of their name in some obscure "help/about" at some vague time in the future.

Simple things like giving valid reportage on what works and does not instead of rambling information is desperately needed.

A rather simple thing like reading sentences to see if they really translate into the target language is another area of need.

This might be a way to give the "uninitiated" person, that is not of the "old line" in "Linuxdom", and has been cued in the "immediate reward" way of thinking a way to transition into helping.

I have no clue, but it is my first take on it.

woodsmoke

[bra|10n]

@woodsmoke

I agree with all you have said. But if there is in fact a disconnect which I do believe exists between developers/maintainers and the users generally in terms of finding ways to contribute ANYTHING, is this really the best way to throw down the welcome mat? For example you mentioned grammar / translation of text.
Here's one from our chosen o/s in both our native tongues;

SystemSettings > Power Management > Advanced Settings, "Never prevent an action on lid close"
Is this a double or in fact triple negative? I suppose it depends on whether you have sleep enabled or not. Either way it does my head in every time.

I think you hit the nail with the phrase "immediate reward" but I'm not looking the way of potential contributors.

To add something positive to this and keeping to the theme of grammar/translation, why not a Wikipedia type edit where registered users can make such corrections?
Combine this with an "AskUbuntu" voting structure I'm sure the best suggestions can be pulled and the respective files updated release to release.

[SteveRiley]

SystemSettings > Power Management > Advanced Settings, "Never prevent an action on lid close"
Is this a double or in fact triple negative? I suppose it depends on whether you have sleep enabled or not. Either way it does my head in every time.

Just in case you need a bit more cranial confabulation, take a gander at the help:

[woodsmoke]

I agree as to the horrid sentence structure in a lot of things Linux.

And:

"AskUbuntu" voting structure

an interesting idea.

woodsmoke

[bra|10n]

Just in case you need a bit more cranial confabulation, take a gander at the help:

Today I took a look at the Kubuntu-docs-package to see how somebody could begin to contribute corrections that might be considered in the next the Kubuntu desktop. I thought I'd concentrate on tidying up the many examples of poor grammar, spelling mistakes and highlight the inconsistent usage, namely the Ubuntu and Kubuntu branding and some other miscellaneous references.

I was quite surprised at what I found and it was certainly not what I had expected. For example, I looked at "Translations" and in particular English (Australia) and found a mere 44 short sections of text that mimiced the English (US) text 100%. However while reading through this, two things became apparent at least given my limited understanding; the first, that certain clauses and undertakings given the nature of the free-software provided be included in the documentation, with the second being that the wording originally chosen for this purpose appears never to come under review.

For example, I found this in section (20):

<phrase>Kubuntu</phrase> will always use the solid base of the Ubuntu project plus the latest from the <acronym>KDE</acronym> project. As part of the Ubuntu project and community, <phrase>Kubuntu</phrase> will continue to use the infrastructure and support that the Ubuntu project offers. We will strive to be the best <acronym>KDE</acronym>-based Linux distribution available.

Interesting choice of words in my opinion. I'm certain it was indeed the case at the time it was written but does the statement continue to hold water? Perhaps the answer to this lies in a discussion for another time, but my point regarding the choice of wording I think is made. Apart from these 44 short sections of text, it seems the instances of poor language and corrections I mentioned earlier falls to the KDE development team. This means that until they make these changes Kubuntu in this regard will not change.

I won't go on. But I will say that this 'looking behind the curtain' has left me with the understanding that Kubuntu really isn't in a position to add the additional 'polish' I think the overall desktop so rightly deserves.

[GreyGeek]

Documentation is ALWAYS the last piece of ground to get plowed. The reason is that weeds sprout faster than volunteers, i.e., applications change so rapidly and programmers are so busy that adjusting the documentation to sync with the app is often the last tasked to be done, if ever. And, there is always the goal of making the app so user friendly and with sufficient help balloons that no documentation is really needed. About the only area where documentation appears to keep abreast of software development is that of command line utilities and their man files.