[ros-dev] Regarding documentation and attracting new developers

[Alex Ionescu]

In regards to your previous e-mail of not understanding the  
architecture, have you read Windows Internals 4th Edition?

In terms of driver writing, have you read Programming the WDK Model  
and Writing Windows 2000 Device Drivers? Both are excellent books and  
very clear/concise.

Have you taken a look at the documentation in the WDK?

Have you looked at the "going deep" kernel videos on Channel 9?

Have you looked through Dave Probert's slides?

Have you considered getting the David Solomon Inside Windows 2000  
Video DVDs? (There's an extra DVD that covers XP/2003).

If the architecture isn't obvious from those materials, then I'm  
afraid the reference isn't to blame. Stefan's a 16 year old with no  
formal CS background and he was still able to pick up most of the  
arch, as was Samuel (encoded), who is also just 18.

Asking ReactOS developers to "write more documentation on ReactOS" is  
basically asking "Write documentation on Windows".

There are already millions of books and websites on the matter,  
there's nothing relevant we could add, even if we *wanted* to.

If you haven't read through *all* those sources I gave you, then  
really, it's not the devs here that need to be blamed...

On 31-Oct-08, at 6:13 AM, Maya Posch wrote:

> I guess this is why ReactOS is going nowhere fast. If nobody is  
> willing
> to see it as a viable project, even for commercialization, then it's  
> not
> so surprising that no deadlines are ever met and attention from the
> public for what could be something even bigger than Linux (at least on
> the desktop) is at around the level of OSS OSs which are little more
> than hobby projects. Is ReactOS a hobby project? What is its goal?  
> Is it
> intended to grow into something companies would use and where the
> ReactOS Foundation could provide paid support for? I don't see this
> happening right now.
>
> For the time being I'll suspend most of my work on ReactOS. I'll only
> continue work on the installer project, partially because I can't let
> down the guys who work for me and partially because it's a generic
> enough installer that it could work for any other OS.
>
>
> Maya
>
>
> gedmurphy wrote:
>> Maya Posch wrote:
>>
>>> I don't know how the Windows internals work or even
>>> look like, this is my first time I'm working with them.
>>
>> Then you're falling at the first hurdle. You can't work on ReactOS,
>> especially at the level you are, without knowing Windows Internals
>> religiously.
>> You need to take a step back, put some time into learning the  
>> architecture
>> _and_ how to program for the architecture. Only when you know this  
>> will you
>> be in a position to write good code.
>>
>> Stefan is an excellent example of this in practice. He came to  
>> ReactOS
>> knowing little about NT. He put in the time and effort and learned  
>> the
>> architecture (very quickly). He's now in a position read and  
>> understand the
>> kernel and is making some valuable contributions.
>>
>>
>>> If those people do not want to write documentation, fine, have  
>>> someone
>>> else write the specifications and feed them those. Don't put them in
>>> charge as they clearly aren't thinking about the wellbeing of the
>>> project as a whole but only their small island.
>>
>> Who? Who is going to write this documentation? Can you recommend  
>> anyone?
>> Anyone with the knowledge to write it is more interested in coding.
>> Are you volunteering, or do you want to pay someone to do it?
>>
>>
>>> Impractical, insufficient and cop-out are words that come to mind.
>>> Sorry if I sound harsh, but this is among one of my many pet  
>>> peeves ^_^
>>
>> I've said it before and I'll say it again, even though people  
>> _hate_ this
>> answer...
>> A good programmer, with knowledge of NT doesn't need text.
>> The design is already established, read Windows Internals 4th. The  
>> code is
>> the fine, granular documentation.
>>
>>
>> As much as this may annoy you, there is absolutely no way to change  
>> this at
>> the moment.
>> This is open source....
>> It's not a great business model, but it's fun  :)
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>> http://www.reactos.org/mailman/listinfo/ros-dev
>
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Best regards,
Alex Ionescu