[drupal-docs] Docbook ++ question

[vlado]

What is the aim of having the Drupal docs in Docbook?
or
What are the targets?

1. Is it to provide easy to print PDFs?
2. Is it to provide easy conversion to HTML, PS, LaTeX, many others?
3. Is it to help authoring?
4. Is it required to provide documentation in a bundle for offline
   reading?
5. Have I missed some answers? possibly, yes

There are a few related questions?

How do the users prefer to have the documentation? What are their
preferred ways of using the docs, or consulting them?

I think starting from these questions will lead towards the format mix
for the documentation.

I have a feeling that using the book module on drupal is a good
solution, but it lacks features. The tools for maintaining the book 
hierarchy and TOCs are there. There is revision control present. There
is a shortage of output formats though.

Is the current drupal book module good and comfortable to use to write
and publish drupal docs?
please answer this

Why am I asking all of these questions. Well, if the answer to the last
question is yes. I will volunteer to spend some time on
producing an add-on to the book module, which will output proper
docbook xml. Coming from me it is probably a tall promise, but I'll try
to keep it. From there on, it will be a design matter. I'm not good at
that unfortunately. At least not feeling comfortable with it.

I'll try and produce template scripts for generating pdf, ps, standalone
html from the docbook sources. Thsi will probably cover the cases for
offline documentation. To even go that way, I need to be
conviced that it will fit the requirements and the working habits of the
documentation team. Otherwise I will be wasting my efforts and time.

Cheers,
Vlado