Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 00:14:44 -0500
Reply-To: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Re: Some thoughts on a FAQ Proposition
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
I've got this mental picture of a wretched web document that surpasses
the bulk of the Bentleys manual, definitely a document with great thud
value if you use the 80 - 91 Version.
I'd suggest a different approach:
#1) A supplement to the Westy Equipment manual furnished with the Westy,
to contain tips and tricks relating only to Westy Equipment.
#2) A supplement to the Air Cooled and Water Cooled owners manual, to
contain tips and tricks relating to minor maintenance.
#3) A chapter by chapter supplement to the Bentleys manual with simple
tips and tricks and chapter corrections. Anybody that has repaired a
Vanagon or Westy using the manual finds holes in their information
delivery.
Taking this approach will provide structure and an architecture that can
be rendered up as a web document that is of reasonable size. In addition
it discourages plagiarizing the existing materials for content.
Additionally bringing the FAQ index into the context of providing links
to the many very informative sources on Vanagon / Westy / Bus
Maintenance that already exist on various member sites and other VW
sites.
If an individual wishes to FTP this information down and put it on a CD
then let be. Just zip it and park it at the Shareware Site.
Stan Wilder
83 Westfalia Air Cooled
On Wed, 29 May 2002 00:32:10 EDT Frank Grunthaner <FrankGRUN@AOL.COM>
writes:
> I have been surprised and pleased to receive a significant number of
> email
> responses expressing enthusiasm for the FAQ upgrade proposition. I
> also agree
> that really putting together a FAQ is a stunning amount of work for
> any one
> individual. I also agree with Stan and others that there is an
> impressive
> amount of garbage in the archives along with superstition and
> hearsay wisdom
> and anecdotal observations. But there is also a hard core of good
> information, increasingly hard to find.
>
> My proposition about using volunteers to take on one topic of
> personal
> interest was based on several tenets, including:
> 1. Some volunteers are already expert in the area. Their
> contribution to the
> group will be invaluable in any topic they choose.
> 2. The newbie (nubian is another topic entirely) who takes on a
> topic will
> soon become an expert in the area. Some experts have hands on
> experience, but
> many are just conversant with the literature. The archives are our
> literature, and the topical summary/assessment/response would be
> the
> equivalent of a solicited review paper.
> 3. The BS could be filtered by putting the material on the list in
> draft form
> for comment and discussion (peer review possibilities).
> 4. The topic writer could use any sources ... the archives surely,
> but the
> technical literature, the Bosch Automotive handbook, listees and
> other web
> sites, or their own base experience. The topic could include
> archive
> references, other web links, etc, etc.
> 5. I would suggest that the cognizant listee maintain responsibility
> for
> his/her contribution into the future and have the ability to edit
> and update
> as their whim may dictate.
> 6. Time investment for any topic could range from days to weeks.
> 7. Some stalwarts could take on translating some of the German VW
> design
> articles that effect us all.
> 8. In the end I would hope the FAQ development would contribute to
> content on
> the list and generate a new crop of informed old timers.
> 9. For a further example, I could see a resource similar to that
> maintained
> by the Porsche Club of America. A list is maintained of topical
> experts to
> whom you can address (email with copy to the list) a critical
> question to.
> The answers often go beyond the limits of the FAQ, but are often
> truly
> thought provoking.
>
> OK, I would be willing to shepherd such a FAQ experiment with a less
> than
> frenetic time commitment. I would assume that this effort could take
> place
> over many months. My availability is minimal until June 7. I would
> suggest
> that the first order of business is a listing of juicy topics. Let
> our full
> community suggest topics. Each listing might start with the title:
> FAQ:XXXXXXX where XXXXX is a short topic ID or description. After
> June 7, I
> will collect the responses and post a list of topics for
> volunteers.
>
> Now Karl Wolz's suggestion that Gary Hradek is already off on this
> course,
> may indicate that he is the best person to oversee the effort.
> Better than I
> for me! We will need to communicate here.
>
> Anyway just a suggestion,
>
> Frank Grunthaner
>
________________________________________________________________
GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.
| 
