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From: Nathan.Torkington@comp.vuw.ac.nz (Nathan Torkington)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,comp.misc
Subject: Re: Jargon File Editorial Philosophy
Message-ID: <1990Dec06.224142.28504@comp.vuw.ac.nz>
Date: 6 Dec 90 22:41:42 GMT
References: <1Yh2D8#44K9D41f8QQk5qw1fx64Q7TX=eric@snark.thyrsus.com>
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In article <1Yh2D8#44K9D41f8QQk5qw1fx64Q7TX=eric@snark.thyrsus.com>, eric@snark.thyrsus.com (Eric S. Raymond) writes:

|> ISSUE #1: THE PAST VS. THE PRESENT

Thorny problem.  There's no doubt (as some of the more virulent posters have
said) that the past deserves to be preserved.  Some day in the future, these
things are going to be a vital part of history.  The only question is whether
we can say "It's Eric S. Raymond's job to keep the history".

  The bummer is that the history is always being made.  If you keep the Jargon
file up-to-date, all the stuff you throw away should be kept for the 'history
file'.  But that means administrating *two* files, which is still more work for
you.  You'll have to decide someday whether or not you wish to do this.
  
|> For those who want a
|> historical document, jargon-1 is out there.

But more 'history' is still being uncovered.  All this drivel recently about
Grace Hopper ought to be distilled.  All the entries are capable of revision
as 'new' facts come to light.  That's work for you, of course ... :)
 
|> I've tried to be respectful of history, though. I couldn't bring myself to
|> simply drop *anything* from jargon.1; it would have seemed like sacrilege.
|> That's why there *is* now an appendix B.

Stuff which is removed from Jargon file could go into History/Retired file.
Jargon entries could contain pointers to the Retired file, and vice-versa.
 
|> ISSUE #2: LEXICON OR ENCYCLOPEDIA?

The trouble is that the two are intertwined.  A lot of work would be required
to extract the folklore/history from the strict denotations.  But if it was to
be done, there would be then a Lexicon *and* an encyclopedia, which could be
considered both a sod to maintain but a brilliant reference work.
 
|> There's also more `encyclopedic' stuff I'm intending to merge in, like a
|> revised and expanded version of the `Portrait of J. Random Hacker'
|> I posted here a while back.

This stuff would go into the Encyclopedia/Folklore/Whatever-the-heck file.
Stuff like Mel, Real Programmers ..., NetLegends, etc etc etc could go here.

|> ISSUE #3: INCLUDE MORE FOLKLORE?

Depends on whether or not you want to become a folklore historian ....  I
personally think it's a really cool idea, but certainly wouldn't want to
administrate the thing! :)
 
|> ISSUE #4: PROPER-NAME ENTRIES

Heroes Of Hackerdom biographies.  The entries for pdl (yes, keep it!) get put
here.  If people want a proper-name they go here for it.  Then you could afford
to keep all the interesting people (Richard Stallman, Lebling, Levy, etc) who
deserve places in history ...

|> the Jargon
|> File will present as true and inspiring and humorous a portrait of hackerdom
|> as it possibly can.

I think it's a valuable asset to the world.  In times to come, this area of
culture, etc, will be of great interest.  People like us will affect the world
for better or worse ... we may as well have a record of it.  As someone said,
"History forgotten is doomed to be repeated."   *All* history is valuable,
especially stuff like the history of DEC-stuff posted a month or two ago ...
that'll keep the hackers of the future intrigued for sure.

Let's not forget that there isn't an area of human interest which doesn't have
valuable lessons to be learned from it's founders; music has the classical
period, literature has the renaissance, even the banjo has a history for God's
sake!  Let's not let the history die, but let's not force it on people, either.

I advocate the splitting of the Jargon file into 
(a) Lexicon
(b) Folklore/Fact Encyclopedia
(c) Biographies

with mayhaps more sections being added as needed.  Although I wouldn't want to
do it, of course! :)

Keep up the good work, Eric ...

-Nat.
-- 
[  Death@comp.vuw.ac.nz aka Blackadder@st1.vuw.ac.nz aka Nathan Torkington  ]
[ "Graeme Lee ... a condom on the penis of progress"            - Bob Jones ]
[ This is not an official communication of Victoria University, Wellington. ]


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