[Biojava-l] Preparation for a 1.1 release?

Hilmar Lapp hlapp@gmx.net
Fri, 08 Dec 2000 11:04:35 -0800


Thomas Down wrote:
> 
> Since the 1.0 release, I've felt that the javadoc on at least
> most of the core classes hasn't been too bad -- certainly not
> perfect, but each core method does at least have a sane-ish
> description.  The bigger problem is lack of `tutorial' documentation.
> 
> Yes, we could do with better documentation.  It's quite hard
> to judge exactly where the problems are, since I've been working
> on BioJava for more than a year.
> 
> Short of locking all the developers in a small room with just
> a text editor and javadoc, the best way to improve documentation
> is for new users not to suffer in silence.  Any questions, PLEASE
> send them to the mailing list (even if they're just small details).
> You'll get an answer, and it should feed back into improved
> documentation.
> 

We're facing a similar situation on the Bioperl side. I'm still
convinced that users of the package are in a better position than the
developers to add *useful* documentation, especially tutorial-like docs,
because the developers are too intimate with their stuff (let an
architect describe his new-art apartment house, and a familiy that tried
to live their for a week: which description do you think is going to be
more useful for a potential buyer?).

So, I'd rather lock in all those who claimed in the past to have used
the package ;-))

	Hilmar
-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hilmar Lapp                                email: hlapp@gmx.net
GNF, San Diego, Ca. 92122                  phone: +1 858 812 1757
-----------------------------------------------------------------