Re: Primer updated with a Changes section

Mark, one important question: did you find any syntax problems in the 
current Primer? I want to make sure we can push out a version *now* that 
is correct, even if the presentation can be improved.

> I'm afraid that coming back to the Primer with fresh eyes, I find that
> it doesn't really work. Sorry about that...

I know what you mean, there is something about it where it's trying to 
please too many folks... Probably what happens after many reviews. And I 
agree with the two-phase review, that's exactly what I had suggested 
during the call.

At the same time, we need to be careful here that we don't simply 
discard all of the useful comments we're received from reviewers. In 
particular, I think it would be very disruptive to try to produce *two* 
documents at this stage. We can always produce more documents outside 
the scope of this task force, especially since we all have our 
individual takes on pitching RDFa. We shouldn't expect all RDFa writing 
to be done within the scope of this task force, I don't think (after 
all, this isn't normative stuff.)

> Or we might decide that we want a document that walks the reader
> through lots of worked examples,

We did indeed agree that we would have a separate "recipes" page on the 
rdfa.info site, and I think we should pursue that independent of the 
Primer. The Primer points to that page already, even though it's a bit bare.

> Or maybe the distinction is between an authors' primer and a
> developers' primer?

I think the current document we're talking about is very much supposed 
to be an author's primer. But that doesn't mean we should ignore 
triples. This is RDFa, and authors need to have a glimpse of what data 
they're publishing.

In other words, there's a reason we're having trouble with the Primer: 
it's an inherently tough job to get people up to speed on this!

In any case, let's get the first version out for sure.

-Ben

Received on Friday, 7 March 2008 16:36:59 UTC