[ZDP] OpenContent issues

[Paul Everitt]

David wrote:
> I just got back from a weeklong conference, so the first 
> thing I did when
> I got to my computer is to delete 95% of the emails in my 
> inbox.  I just
> noticed that there was a discussion re: a Zope book. 
> 
> Let me say a couple of things re: Zope & books, as a Zope newbie but
> supporter, and (more relevantly), as the co-author of Learning Python
> (which, BTW, mentions Zope twice =).

...and they are very good mentions.  Thanks, David (oh, and it's a very
good book as well, much deserving the attention it is getting).
 
> 1) At least one person at O'Reilly with a fair bit of influence (Frank
>    Willison, editor-in-chief) is aware of, and interested in, 
> Zope.  He
>    was at IPC when Paul announced the OpenSourcing of 
> Principia, and he's
>    a keen observer of these issues.  Other folks related to 
> ORA also pay
>    attention to Zope.

That's wonderful news.  I can speak with conviction (and inside
knowledge) that we are on the tip of a wild growth curve with Zope.  For
instance, I had my first industry analyst conference call yesterday,
which is definately a sign of things to come.

My talks at WWW8 were extremely well received, meaning the meme is
getting better travelled now.  Also, got a card from someone at another
major publisher that badly wants a Zope book to get started.

> 2) I got the vague impression from some DC folks that there 
> were thoughts
>    a long time ago re: a Zope book.  I don't have any specifics.  Ask
>    someone with a @digicool.com address =).

I'm definately the one to come to for vague impressions :^)  Let me
state unequivocally that we will directly support a demonstrably serious
effort to create a Zope book.  However, we might attach some strings
(such as requiring that drafts be Open Content).
 
One other note on the subject of documentation.  The PHP folks have a
publicly-annotated system for authoring their manuals.  Pretty neat, not
awfully hi-tech but they've been at it for a long time.

--Paul