Re: The future of this book

[gary]

address@hidden wrote:
> 
> OK, that's it, O'Reilly left us.  I read Andy's view of this failure,
> and see that have not lived the same story ---but that's the common
> point is both views: the constant misunderstanding :).

Yeah.  I agree.  I feel somewhat to blame for not having ridden the
project harder.  Then again the last 18 months have seen my life turn
on its head a couple of times.  Happily (for me) but unfortunately (for
the book, and my activity in the GNU projects I maintain) I am enjoying
where I am at a lot right now in RL.

> Now there remains material, and even great material.  Let's save it.
> 
> I can see two scenarios:
> 
> 1. A GNU Free Book
> 
> Let's make it a real GNU project: contact RMS, find a maintainer, and
> keep it alive.  The Goat book is great, but is becoming less and less
> a great book because it is not sync'ed with reality.  This should not
> happen again.  In addition, the scope of the Goat book is narrower
> than that this one.  So there is definitely a vacuum to fill IMO.
> 
> This book needs a maintainer, as IMNSHO that's what lacked amongst us,
> and led to this disaster.

O'Reilly could have done a better job with their editing and timely
feedback. But what's done is gone.  I agree.  This option is good.  I
would like to continue to work on this though and potentially sell it to
a publisher (under the GFDL) when it's done.  I think this is only possible
if we (the authors) retain the copyright, but I'd be happy to hear RMS'
and Arnold Robbins' view on the matter.

Realistically, I am not going to have much time until after my 2nd Dan
grading in May, and after that perhaps two evenings per week.
 
> I think number 2 would be a great loss, as what makes this book unique
> is being about a single project: GNU M4.  That was an excellent idea
> from Gary, and we should definitely stick to it.  All the
> documentation we read and compiled in there are disparate, and offer
> no gentle introduction to the GNU world.  There is a need for this.
> 
> I vote for scenario 1.  With a bit of luck, writing a chapter in the
> book could become another part of the normal maintenance activity, and
> people will want to write their bits in it.  Sort of a GNU Hello, but
> for documentation.

I'm open to persuasion, but would prefer to own the copyright and retain
the option to publish at a later date...

Cheers,
        Gary.