Re: [Gnu-arch-users] archive storage format comments on the size

[Tobias C. Rittweiler]

On Tuesday, September 30, 2003 at 7:54:38 PM, 
    Andrea Arcangeli <address@hidden> wrote:

> On Tue, Sep 30, 2003 at 10:28:25AM -0700, Tom Lord wrote:
> > If you have an idea to present, please make an effort to present it in
> > a manner that convinces me you have made an effort to express your
> > idea concisely and clearly, and made an effort to "get" how more
>
> I think I already did. That was the email you answered to, that's why I
> found your complain ironic when posted to such an email.

You think you did, but for Tom you didn't. Yes it's right that Tom is
quite a bit picky when it comes to such things in general, and
especially when it's about presentation of ideas.

I personally had found it very tough at first, too, but then after some
time it exposed itself to be a good and worthwhile qualify, because it
makes conceiving and discussion of ideas easier, especially conceiving
in the form of retracing.


So here're some tips to make at least me happy, and others hopefully too:

  a) a presentation of any subject should be the first post to a new
     thread that'll deal with the subject.

     This will keep threads subject-distinct, long threads with a lot of
     different subjects are spongy and marshy, the ideal soil for
     unthought ideas.

  b) It should handle following or similiar questions in a structured way:

        * Introduction
        * * What's the presentation about?
        * * Table of Contents (how is the presentation structured?)
        * * Explanation of special terms or forms that need explanation.
        
        * Problem
        * * What's the problem?
        * * Why exactly is it a problem (cf. Bug or Feature)?
        * * What's causing the problem?
        * * ...
        
        * Potential solution
        * * What's a possible solution?
        * * Is it a good solution? Yes? Why?
        * * Has it drawbacks? If yes, which?
        * * How much impact will it have? Is it compatible?
        * * How difficult will it be? Is the effort/outcome ratio
            justifiable?
        * * ...
        
  c) Write tersely, write precisely. Don't let us drown in details,
     don't let us starve in loss of details.

  d) Don't make too many assumptions. If you do, tell us that you're
     assuming. Keep in mind that you can't base an idea on pure
     assumptions and taste.

  e) (A bit personal taste:) Use analogies and metaphers, if
     appropriate, also write in pictures. Or draw pictures if
     appropriate.
     
  f) Show us that you cared about your presentation. Show us that you
     have put deep thought in the material you're presentating.


-- tcr (address@hidden)  ``Ho chresim'eidos uch ho poll'eidos sophos''