# HG changeset patch # User Kai T. Ohlhus # Date 1475054998 -7200 # Node ID d01bb705165ecba3d315270ade8cc98ce7caec5e # Parent aa0c5c467963e03b043791ec4d82ba694e320cf8 Markdownify pages. diff -r aa0c5c467963 -r d01bb705165e support-expectations.md --- a/support-expectations.md Wed Sep 28 11:29:32 2016 +0200 +++ b/support-expectations.md Wed Sep 28 11:29:58 2016 +0200 @@ -1,115 +1,106 @@ --- layout: default title: Support Expectations -permalink: /support-expectations/ menu: false --- -

- Octave is a capable free software system for numerical computing - developed primarily by a community of volunteers. As good as it - is, there are certainly some flaws and a lot of room for - improvement. Most people who use Octave understand these things - and know that if they work together with the community bugs will - be fixed, features will be added, and Octave will improve over - time. Working with people who have this kind of attitude is fun - and rewarding. -

+Octave is a capable free software system for numerical computing +developed primarily by a community of volunteers. As good as it +is, there are certainly some flaws and a lot of room for +improvement. Most people who use Octave understand these things +and know that if they work together with the community bugs will +be fixed, features will be added, and Octave will improve over +time. Working with people who have this kind of attitude is fun +and rewarding. -

- Unfortunately, there are a few people who behave as though the - community owes them support as well as a 100% Matlab compatible - system, all at zero cost. It shouldn't really be necessary, but - we'll say it anyway: working with these people is no fun. If you - approach the Octave community this way, you are sure to be - disappointed. You should also not be surprised when your requests - for help are ignored. -

+Unfortunately, there are a few people who behave as though the +community owes them support as well as a 100% Matlab compatible +system, all at zero cost. It shouldn't really be necessary, but +we'll say it anyway: working with these people is no fun. If you +approach the Octave community this way, you are sure to be +disappointed. You should also not be surprised when your requests +for help are ignored. + + +## Development Group -

Development Group

-

- People sometimes think that Octave is developed by some - large team of well-paid programmers. Nothing could be further - from the truth. Most of the initial development of Octave was - done by one person over several years. Since then, there have - been at most a half-dozen or so volunteers working on Octave at - any one time. You can see who has done most of the work by - looking through - the development - history (prior to February 2008 it is best to look in the - old ChangeLog files). Currently, none of the Octave - developers are paid to work on Octave directly. -

+People sometimes think that Octave is developed by some large team +of well-paid programmers. Nothing could be further from the truth. +Most of the initial development of Octave was done by one person +over several years. Since then, there have been at most a half-dozen +or so volunteers working on Octave at any one time. +You can see who has done most of the work by looking through the +[development history](http://hg.savannah.gnu.org/hgweb/octave) +(prior to February 2008 it is best to look in the old `ChangeLog` files). +Currently, none of the Octave developers are paid to work on Octave directly. -

- If you would like to see Octave moving forward more quickly, then - contribute to its development, either by working on the project - yourself, or by donating funds. With sufficient funding, we would - be able to pay a few developers to work on Octave full time. -

+If you would like to see Octave moving forward more quickly, then +contribute to its development, either by working on the project +yourself, or by donating funds. With sufficient funding, we would +be able to pay a few developers to work on Octave full time. + + +## Help -

Help

-

- When asking for help on the mailing list or IRC channel, or - reporting a bug, remember that the people helping you are Octave - users just like you who are volunteering their time. They are not - paid support staff. Use meaningful subject lines. Try to ask - clear questions. Be precise about the problems you are having. -

+When asking for help on the mailing list or IRC channel, +or reporting a bug, remember that the people helping you +are Octave users just like you who are volunteering their time. +They are not paid support staff. Use meaningful subject lines. +Try to ask clear questions. Be precise about the problems you are having. + + +## Bugs -

Bugs

-

- No software is perfect, and Octave is no exception. You can - search the list of bug reports to see what problems have been - reported. In looking at the list, you might also noticed the - number of problems that have been fixed. Nearly all - of these problems have been fixed by volunteers. If you find a - problem, you are encouraged - to report it. Your report can help to - improve Octave, but you should not think of the bug tracker as - your personal support line. -

-

- If you depend on Octave and absolutely must have prompt responses - to problem reports, you should consider paying - for commercial support. -

+No software is perfect, and Octave is no exception. +You can search the list of bug reports to see what +problems have been reported. In looking at the list, +you might also noticed the number of problems that have been *fixed*. +Nearly all of these problems have been fixed by volunteers. +If you find a problem, you are encouraged to +[report it]({{ "/bugs.html" | prepend: site.baseurl }}). +Your report can help to improve Octave, +but you should not think of the bug tracker as your personal support line. + +If you depend on Octave and absolutely must have prompt responses +to problem reports, you should consider paying +for [commercial support][]. + + +## Features + +When we say that Octave is "mostly compatible" with Matlab, +we mean that the language that it accepts is similar enough that a +substantial amount of code written for Matlab can also run in +Octave without needing to be changed. But Octave does not have +all the features of Matlab, and it is unlikely that it ever will. +Given that Matlab is developed in secret and Octave developers +only find out about new Matlab features when new versions of +Matlab are released, it is clearly impossible for Octave to have +new Matlab features as soon as they are available in Matlab. -

Features

-

- When we say that Octave is "mostly compatible" with Matlab, we - mean that the language that it accepts is similar enough that a - substantial amount of code written for Matlab can also run in - Octave without needing to be changed. But Octave does not have - all the features of Matlab, and it is unlikely that it ever will. - Given that Matlab is developed in secret and Octave developers - only find out about new Matlab features when new versions of - Matlab are released, it is clearly impossible for Octave to have - new Matlab features as soon as they are available in Matlab. -

-

- In most cases, Octave has the features that it does because - someone decided to add them becuase they needed them. If you have - the programming skills perhaps you can add the features you need. - If you not, then consider paying for someone to implement the - feature for you. Most people who - provide commercial support - services for Octave will also take on custom programming projets. -

-

- Even if you don't have the expertise required to implement new - features or can't pay for someone to do the work for you, you may - submit feature requests to the bug tracker. But you should - understand that unless you are paying for someone to to add the - feature, no one is obligated to do it for you. -

+ +In most cases, Octave has the features that it does because +someone decided to add them becuase they needed them. If you have +the programming skills perhaps you can add the features you need. +If you not, then consider paying for someone to implement the +feature for you. Most people who provide [commercial support][] +services for Octave will also take on custom programming projets. + -

Releases

-

- The Octave project currently provides source releases only. We - simply don't have the volunteer resources to provide executable - versions of Octave packaged for different types of systems. If - you'd like to see this situation change, volunteer to help us, or - donate to the project so that an Octave developer can spend the - time needed to do the job. -

+Even if you don't have the expertise required to implement new +features or can't pay for someone to do the work for you, you may +submit feature requests to the bug tracker. But you should +understand that unless you are paying for someone to to add the +feature, no one is obligated to do it for you. + + +## Releases + +The Octave project currently provides source releases only. +We simply don't have the volunteer resources to provide executable +versions of Octave packaged for different types of systems. +If you'd like to see this situation change, volunteer to help us, +or donate to the project so that an Octave developer can spend the +time needed to do the job. + +[commercial support]: {{ "/commercial-support.html" | prepend: site.baseurl }} diff -r aa0c5c467963 -r d01bb705165e support.md --- a/support.md Wed Sep 28 11:29:32 2016 +0200 +++ b/support.md Wed Sep 28 11:29:58 2016 +0200 @@ -5,86 +5,75 @@ menu: true --- - If you need help using Octave, you have many options, from reading - the Octave manual, asking for help on the mailing lists, chatting - online with other Octave users, or paying for commercial support. +If you need help using Octave, you have many options, from reading +the Octave manual, asking for help on the mailing lists, chatting +online with other Octave users, or paying for commercial support. + + +## Support Expectations -

Support Expectations

-

- The Octave community is a loosely organized association of - volunteers. Your interactions with the community will be better - if you have the right - expectations about the support options available to you. -

+The Octave community is a loosely organized association of +volunteers. Your interactions with the community will be better +if you have the right +expectations about the support options available to you. + + +## Commercial Support -

Commercial Support

-

- Community support can be great, and with the Octave community it - often is, but sometimes you need to know that your question will - be answered. We maintain a list - of people and organizations who offer commercial support - contracts for Octave. This list is available as a service to - the community and the support providers. The Octave project does - not provide endorsements or recommendations. -

+Community support can be great, and with the Octave community it +often is, but sometimes you need to know that your question will +be answered. We maintain a list +of people and organizations who offer commercial support +contracts for Octave. This list is available as a service to +the community and the support providers. The Octave project does +not provide endorsements or recommendations. + -

User Community

-

- There is an active user community centered around Octave. - Please understand - that the people answering your question on the mailing list or IRC - channel, or helping to fix the bug you reported are doing so as - volunteers. -

+## User Community -

Documentation

+There is an active user community centered around Octave. +Please understand +that the people answering your question on the mailing list or IRC +channel, or helping to fix the bug you reported are doing so as +volunteers. + + +## Documentation -

Reference Manual

-

- Octave is fully documented by a comprehensive - 800 page manual. -

-

- The on-line HTML - and PDF versions of the manual are - generated directly from the Texinfo source files that are - distributed along with every copy of the Octave source code. The - complete text of the manual is also available at the Octave prompt - using the doc command. -

+- __Reference Manual__: + Octave is fully documented by a comprehensive 800 page manual. -

- A printed version of the Octave manual may be ordered from - Network Theory, - Ltd.. Any money raised from the sale of this book will - support the development of free software. For each copy sold $1 - will be donated to the GNU Octave Development Fund. -

+ The on-line HTML + and PDF versions of the manual are + generated directly from the Texinfo source files that are + distributed along with every copy of the Octave source code. The + complete text of the manual is also available at the Octave prompt + using the `doc` command. + + A printed version of the Octave manual may be ordered from + Network Theory, + Ltd.. Any money raised from the sale of this book will + support the development of free software. For each copy sold $1 + will be donated to the GNU Octave Development Fund. -

Frequently Asked Questions

-

- If you are new to Octave, you may have some - questions - that have been asked (and answered) a few times before. -

+- __Frequently Asked Questions__: + If you are new to Octave, you may have some + questions + that have been asked (and answered) a few times before. -

Wiki

-

- The Octave Wiki is a great - place to look for information about things that are not covered in - the manual, or other transient topics (Google Summer of Code, - Octave Conferences, etc.). -

+- __Wiki__: + The Octave Wiki is a great + place to look for information about things that are not covered in + the manual, or other transient topics (Google Summer of Code, + Octave Conferences, etc.). + -

Contacting Other Users for Help

- -

Mailing List

+## Contacting Other Users for Help -

- If your question isn't answered in the FAQ, the manual, or the Wiki, - the help@octave.org mailing - list is a good resource. -

+- __Mailing List__: + If your question isn't answered in the FAQ, the manual, or the Wiki, + the help@octave.org mailing + list is a good resource.
@@ -119,19 +108,10 @@
-

Chat

-

- Too impatient for email? You can find Octave developers and users - on - the #octave - channel - at irc.freenode.net. The - atmosphere is relaxed and chat isn't restricted to matters - strictly pertaining to Octave. -

- -

Reporting Bugs

-

- If you think you've found a bug, you are encouraged to - report it. -

+- __Chat__: + Too impatient for email? You can find Octave developers and users on the + #octave + channel + at irc.freenode.net. + The atmosphere is relaxed and chat isn't restricted to matters + strictly pertaining to Octave.