Mercurial > web-octave
changeset 49:d01bb705165e kai
Markdownify pages.
| author | Kai T. Ohlhus <k.ohlhus@gmail.com> |
|---|---|
| date | Wed, 28 Sep 2016 11:29:58 +0200 |
| parents | aa0c5c467963 |
| children | 1810308dba49 |
| files | support-expectations.md support.md |
| diffstat | 2 files changed, 159 insertions(+), 188 deletions(-) [+] |
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--- 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 --- - <p> - 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. - </p> +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. - <p> - 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. - </p> +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 - <h1>Development Group</h1> - <p> - 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 <a href="http://hg.savannah.gnu.org/hgweb/octave">development - history</a> (prior to February 2008 it is best to look in the - old <tt>ChangeLog</tt> files). Currently, none of the Octave - developers are paid to work on Octave directly. - </p> +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. - <p> - 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. - </p> +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 - <h1>Help</h1> - <p> - 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. - </p> +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 - <h1>Bugs</h1> - <p> - 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 <emph>fixed</emph>. Nearly all - of these problems have been fixed by volunteers. If you find a - problem, you are encouraged - to <a href="bugs.html">report it</a>. Your report can help to - improve Octave, but you should not think of the bug tracker as - your personal support line. - </p> - <p> - If you depend on Octave and absolutely must have prompt responses - to problem reports, you should consider paying - for <a href="commercial-support.html">commercial support</a>. - </p> +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. - <h1>Features</h1> - <p> - 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. - </p> - <p> - 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 <a href="commercial-support.html">commercial support</a> - services for Octave will also take on custom programming projets. - </p> - <p> - 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. - </p> + +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. + - <h1>Releases</h1> - <p> - 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. - </p> +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 }}
--- 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 - <h1>Support Expectations</h1> - <p> - The Octave community is a loosely organized association of - volunteers. Your interactions with the community will be better - if you have the <a href="support-expectations.html">right - expectations about the support options</a> available to you. - </p> +The Octave community is a loosely organized association of +volunteers. Your interactions with the community will be better +if you have the <a href="support-expectations.html">right +expectations about the support options</a> available to you. + + +## Commercial Support - <h1>Commercial Support</h1> - <p> - 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 <a href="commercial-support.html">list - of people and organizations who offer commercial support - contracts</a> 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. - </p> +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 <a href="commercial-support.html">list +of people and organizations who offer commercial support +contracts</a> 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. + - <h1>User Community</h1> - <p> - There is an active user community centered around Octave. - <a href="support-expectations">Please understand</a> - 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. - </p> +## User Community - <h2>Documentation</h2> +There is an active user community centered around Octave. +<a href="support-expectations">Please understand</a> +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 - <h3>Reference Manual</h3> - <p> - Octave is fully documented by a comprehensive - 800 page manual. - </p> - <p> - The on-line <a href="doc/interpreter/index.html">HTML</a> - and <a href="octave.pdf">PDF</a> 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 <samp>doc</samp> command. - </p> +- __Reference Manual__: + Octave is fully documented by a comprehensive 800 page manual. - <p> - A printed version of the Octave manual may be ordered from - <a href="http://www.network-theory.co.uk/octave/manual">Network Theory, - Ltd.</a>. 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. - </p> + The on-line <a href="doc/interpreter/index.html">HTML</a> + and <a href="octave.pdf">PDF</a> 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 + <a href="http://www.network-theory.co.uk/octave/manual">Network Theory, + Ltd.</a>. 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. - <h3>Frequently Asked Questions</h3> - <p> - If you are new to Octave, you may have some - <a href="http://www.octave.org/wiki/FAQ">questions - that have been asked (and answered) a few times before.</a> - </p> +- __Frequently Asked Questions__: + If you are new to Octave, you may have some + <a href="http://www.octave.org/wiki/FAQ">questions + that have been asked (and answered) a few times before.</a> - <h3>Wiki</h3> - <p> - The <a href="http://wiki.octave.org">Octave Wiki</a> 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.). - </p> +- __Wiki__: + The <a href="http://wiki.octave.org">Octave Wiki</a> 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.). + - <h2>Contacting Other Users for Help</h2> - - <h3>Mailing List</h3> +## Contacting Other Users for Help - <p> - If your question isn't answered in the FAQ, the manual, or the Wiki, - the <a href="mailto:help@octave.org">help@octave.org</a> mailing - list is a good resource. - </p> +- __Mailing List__: + If your question isn't answered in the FAQ, the manual, or the Wiki, + the <a href="mailto:help@octave.org">help@octave.org</a> mailing + list is a good resource. <div id="search-form"> <table> @@ -119,19 +108,10 @@ </table> </div> - <h3>Chat</h3> - <p> - Too impatient for email? You can find Octave developers and users - on - the <a href="http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=octave&uio=MT1mYWxzZSYyPXRydWUmMTI9dHJ1ZQda"><code>#octave</code> - channel</a> - at <a href="http://freenode.net"><code>irc.freenode.net</code></a>. The - atmosphere is relaxed and chat isn't restricted to matters - strictly pertaining to Octave. - </p> - - <h2>Reporting Bugs</h2> - <p> - If you think you've found a bug, you are encouraged to - <a href="bugs.html">report it</a>. - </p> +- __Chat__: + Too impatient for email? You can find Octave developers and users on the + <a href="http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=octave&uio=MT1mYWxzZSYyPXRydWUmMTI9dHJ1ZQda"><code>#octave</code> + channel</a> + at <a href="http://freenode.net"><code>irc.freenode.net</code></a>. + The atmosphere is relaxed and chat isn't restricted to matters + strictly pertaining to Octave.