For new visitors to Docs

[John J. McDonough]

New visitors to Docs should be aware that, as Jared mentioned to Chris,
we are pretty loosely organized, especially right now.

We try to get whatever we can on this list, but most of what happens
goes on in the IRC channel #Fedora-Docs.  Unfortunately, the channel is
quiet a lot of the time.  Most folks lurk, and only raise their heads
when someone mentions their nick.  Also, for some reason, the channel
tends to be really quiet on the weekends.

So if you visit, don't be surprised if it is quiet.  Idle for a while
and sooner or later something will happen.

We meet every Thursday at 0001Z (Wedensday evening U.S. time), and there
is an agenda posted (sometimes) at
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Docs_Project_meetings
Minutes and a link to the log are always posted on this list.

This is a time between releases, kind of quiet, a good time to get to
know the folks and the processes and be prepared to contribute for
Fedora 16 (although if you want to jump in right now, there is plenty of
Guide work that needs to be done).

We have two slightly different processes; Guides and Release Notes.

Guides generally only need to be updated for each release.  Typically,
with the guides we go straight to DocBook.  There are usually only one
or two people working on each guide.  Since it is usually only updating,
it is a good way to ease into DocBook.  Of course, if you have a great
idea for a new guide, then maybe you could be in for a little more work!

Release Notes are entirely new for each release.  Because of this we
tend to have a lot of people working on the Release Notes.  To make it
easier for newer folks to contribute, and to draw edits from developers
who understand this stuff a lot better than we do, we develop the
Release Notes on the wiki and then convert them to DocBook.

Each contributor typically selects a specific area of the Release Notes
to work on.  This is a great excuse to get to know developers working in
an area that interests you.  And because the bulk of the work happens on
the wiki, you can put off learning DocBook.  In fact, you can be a major
contributor to the Release Notes and never touch DocBook.,

So lurk on the IRC channel, stop by our weekly meetings, and don't be
afraid to dive in.  Fedora is a community project, we try hard to be
sure there are no secrets, and everyone's contributions are welcome.

--McD