Re: CD edition

[Gary Lawrence Murphy <garym@canada.com>]

>>>>> "j" == jdd  <jdanield@dodin.net> writes:

    j> eventually we can add a handfull of txt/pdf/sgml ones, only as
    j> example purpose, but we can assume that anybody dealing with
    j> ldp can read html, isn't it?

This is problematic for schools and user groups who may wish to print
out copies for use by students or members.  HTML is a pain to print,
and produces really ugly printouts, which gives our org a bad name.

    j> I don't really understand why the ldp bores itself with exotic
    j> formats anyway (sgml source and html should suffice)

Because we want our stuff (a) to be read and (b) to be considered as
high quality docs.  By your argument, we should stick to ASCII since
not everyone has a webbrowser.

We _need_ to have 

        1) SGML sources so recipients can learn to participate

        2) HTML so recipients can build mirror sites and browse
           especially at trade shows and so that blind users
           and other special needs can access the docs

        3) PDF so recipients can print beautifully formated editions

ASCII does not really add anything except that it makes it easier to
scan documents with glimpse or to use rememberance-agent; that second
one (RA) is reason enough for me to want to include ASCII if it can be
automated.

There is no need to include postscript since PDF is identical in every
respect and is more portable.

    j> windows world reads very well html (Internet explorer is not so
    j> bad it can't read our html!)

You cannot read a 200 page document on a CRT-based browser.  You can,
but you will go blind (and your palms will get hairy) There is ample
psychophysiological evidence that your critical perception and
retention is serious impared by back-lit displays; this is why we
expect more intellectual stimulation from the cinema than we do from
television.  A _printable_ version, pretty enough to be handed out
proudly, and which bundles its own fonts within each document, is
absolutely essential.

-- 
Gary Lawrence Murphy <garym@linux.ca>: office voice/fax: 01 519 4222723
TCI - Business Innovations through Open Source : http://www.teledyn.com
Canadian Co-ordinators for Bynari International : http://ca.bynari.net/
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