Re: WebPlatform Browser Support Info

On Saturday, October 19, 2013 at 11:48 AM, PhistucK wrote:
> I understand it does not feel so urgent to you, but when I work on or edit Web Platform Documentation wiki pages, I usually want to add compatibility data (as much as possible for me) to the page (I think this workflow makes sense). I am already reading through the subject in order to provide accurate information, so I want the information to be as complete as possible.
> 
> Currently, there is a note that instructs the contributor not to touch the compatibility tables, because it will be automated. Right now, we lose data, opportunities and nice efforts due to that note. I know I avoided entering the information because of that note, even for places where external compatibility data would probably not have information (but who knows?). 
> 
> If you intend to allow people to submit pull requests, I think it should happen as we speak. People (me, anyway) want to help bring up this website with any information they can possibly provide. Not supporting that right now is a loss of a potential community effort. 
> 
> (Note that while the documentation should be filled with educative and reference content, a lot of developers just want to know whether the feature can be used, rather than how to use it, so a seemingly simple use case is lost during this time, until this project reaches any user facing milestone)
Hand-edited compatibility data for the Open Web Platform with two vendors out of five releasing a new version of their browser _every six weeks_ just won't scale. The data will become stale pretty much immediately. 

Encouraging contributors to submit data we know will shortly be overwritten by an automated system risks alienating them from further contributions. I think the current move (instructing contributors not to touch that data) is the right one.

--tobie

Received on Saturday, 19 October 2013 12:21:04 UTC