Issue status update for
http://drupal.org/node/50464
Post a follow up:
http://drupal.org/project/comments/add/50464
Project: Documentation
Version: <none>
Component: Admin Guide
Category: tasks
Priority: normal
Assigned to: Anonymous
Reported by: O Govinda
Updated by: O Govinda
Status: active
Thank you. You are right. I'll post a note on that thread.
O Govinda
Previous comments:
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Tue, 21 Feb 2006 02:52:33 +0000 : O Govinda
By presenting a valuable feature of the Book Module as the defining one,
the documentation in core (and in the Handbook) hides the module's power
and makes the module seem limited in a way it is not.
The core documentation says:
A book is a collaborative writing effort: users can
collaborate writing the pages of the book, positioning the
pages in the right order, and reviewing or modifying pages
previously written. So when you have some information to
share or when you read a page of the book and you didn't
like it, or if you think a certain page could have been
written better, you can do something about it.
My suggested revision:
A book is a set of pages tied together in sequence, with
links and menus (automatically created) to guide users from
section to section or to the previous page or the next.
Users can collaborate in writing the book, reviewing or
modifying the pages, and putting them in the right order. So
when you have something to share, or you've read a page you
didn't like or you think could be better, you can do something
about it.
Or, shorter (and therefore better):
A book is a set of pages tied together in sequence, with
links and menus (automatically created) to guide users from
section to section or to the previous page or the next.
Users can collaborate in writing the book, reviewing or
modifying the pages, and putting them in the right order.
A book may be collaborative but doesn't have to be. I can write a
one-man book that no one else can modify. Or, for that matter, with the
right permissions I can collaborate on a story or a page. The ability to
allow or disallow limited or unlimited collaboration is a Drupal feature
from top to bottom. (Put that last line in lights and send it to the
marketing team.)
When I first came upon Drupal I saw the "collaborative book module"
touted as its outstanding feature-- but it seemed an odd one, and for my
one-man site likely irrelevant. Perhaps for literary geeks experimenting
with a multi-author novel?
Both for informing and for marketing, the docs here deserve to be
fixed.
---------------------------------
Going a bit further, here's what I'd do to the whole page:
*Home*
*create content*
Choose an item from the list:
*book page*
A book is a set of pages tied together in sequence, with links and
menus (automatically created) to guide users from section to section or
to the previous page or the next. Users can collaborate in writing the
book, reviewing or modifying the pages, and putting them in the right
order.
*page*
If you want to add a static page, like a contact page or an about page,
use a page.
*story*
Stories are articles in their simplest form. They have a title, a body,
and (taken from the body) a teaser. You can also use stories for a blog
or for news articles.
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Mon, 31 Jul 2006 22:08:51 +0000 : pwolanin
I edited this page: http://drupal.org/handbook/modules/book
A little more in response to your comments above. However, the
descriptions you are targeting are part of the code, not the handbook.
I'd guess these suggested changes need to be filed as an issue against
the book module. Note, however, possible substantial changes in that
module: http://drupal.org/node/65319