[HacktionLab] Some style questions about Tech Tools

[Adelayde Skidmore]

On 02/10/2011 05:55, m3shrom at riseup.net wrote:
> Hi there
> It looks like most people dont have strong opinions on these issues.
>
> Personally I'm in 2 minds about it. if the url is easy to remember
> then maybe include it inline and if not then as a foot note with full url?
>
> M3sh on the move
>
>
>
> ----- Reply message -----
> From: "Beth McMillan" <teradaisyspawn at gmail.com>
> To: <hacktionlab at lists.aktivix.org>
> Subject: [HacktionLab] Some style questions about Tech Tools
> Date: Sat, Sep 24, 2011 2:49 pm
>
>
Hi Beth
> Hi chums,
>
> I've been doing a quick sweep through the FlossManuals version of Tech
> Tools, looking for spelling errors, grammatical and formatting
> inconsistencies. I've got a few questions for discussion.
Nice one.
>
> 1. What are we doing with URLs?
>
>   * Are we doing footnotes or in-text links?
>   * And are we shortening all links to tiny.booki.cc
>     <http://tiny.booki.cc>?
>   * If we are shortening links, are we using descriptive names (like
>     http://tiny.booki.cc/?videoplatforms) or are we leaving them as
>     short strings of characters (like http://tiny.booki.cc/?0ER8)?
>
it's a shame that that url shorter doesn't shorten the url that much! 
my preference would be to use descriptive names always and as footnotes.
>
>
> 2. Are we using "double quotes" or 'single quotes'?
for what?  personally I think terms when first introduced should be in
italics, and paraphrasing actual speech in double quotes.  we also ought
to use the method of always deining acronyms the first time they're used
with the full version in brackets....  
>
> 3. When discussing Linux in general is it "GNU/Linux" or just "Linux"?
> (I prefer GNU/Linux)
+1 GNU/Linux is my political fave, though we ought to indicate how it's
pronnounced the first time we use it, perhaps with a footnote or side
box on why it's that?  From personal experience worked into a random
non-proven theory, I think that people will tend to shy away from using
and adopting words that they either don't know how to say correctly or
are uncomfortable with...
>
> 4. Similarly, are we saying "Free Software", "Libre Software", "Open
> Source" or, as in one chapter, "Free/Libre/Open Source Software
> (FLOSS)"? (I prefer Libre Software)
Tricky.  I prefer Software Libre, but hey.  Yeah, Libre Software that's
cool.  I never did like Open Source as a term (Mr Raymond muddying the
waters there) and FLOSS is totally too nerdy to explain imho! 

So +1 for Libre Software with a clear and contrite definition.
>
> My plan is to sweep through every couple of weeks and proof read the
> whole thing each time, so the newest version will usually be
> grammatically correct. I hope that's okay with all y'all.
Great, thanks Beth.

One bug bear of mind is consistency with using the abbreviated forms or
not in English.

e.g. whether we're using you're, haven't and I'll or you are, have not
and I will.  The latter I believe is more normal for print, the former
maybe more jaunty for our booklet...
>
> -Beth
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> HacktionLab mailing list
> HacktionLab at lists.aktivix.org
> https://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/hacktionlab