[gentoo-user] Handbook as epub

[gentoo-user] Handbook as epub

[Michael Mol]

I'd like to have the Handbook in a format convenient for reading in
ebook readers.

Now, I know I could take the existing HTML files and convert them, but
I think it'd be nicer if I could get the handbook maintenance scripts
to automate a conversion process, and then I could download the epub.

Who would I talk to get something like that in the works?


(I've also got an idea about autogenerating, e.g. Android apps, so
that I could get up-to-date versions of the handbook on my phone and
tablet at all times. But I'd need to learn a bit more before I knew
how to autogenerate that.)

-- 
:wq

[gentoo-user] Re: Handbook as epub

[Steven J Long]

Michael Mol wrote:

> I'd like to have the Handbook in a format convenient for reading in
> ebook readers.
> 
> Now, I know I could take the existing HTML files and convert them, but
> I think it'd be nicer if I could get the handbook maintenance scripts
> to automate a conversion process, and then I could download the epub.
> 
> Who would I talk to get something like that in the works?
>
You'd talk to the Documentation project:
http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/gdp/index.xml

aiui most of the people listed there aren't that active outside their
own area; for ages nightmorph had been under a load of pressure, until
swift rejoined the project.

See the bottom of the page for contact details; you'll most likely want to 
join their mailing list. There's also a link to understanding the pretty 
simple GuideXML used. (I have to say it's one of the few applications of
XML I really like.)
> 
> (I've also got an idea about autogenerating, e.g. Android apps, so
> that I could get up-to-date versions of the handbook on my phone and
> tablet at all times. But I'd need to learn a bit more before I knew
> how to autogenerate that.)
> 
Sounds good :-) If you need help with scripting there's the "Portage & 
Programming" forum, the gentoo-devhelp ML, #gentoo-dev-help (yes they're
hyphenated differently) #bash and #awk, and ofc #friendly-coders on irc 
server: chat.freenode.net. IRC really is worth getting on to if you're not 
already online as it's _really_ easy to get expert help quickly (so long as
you bear in mind it's all voluntary and shelter from the beasts in a 
friendly channel;) and practically all the devs are there in various places.
-- 
#friendly-coders -- We're friendly, but we're not /that/ friendly ;-)

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: Handbook as epub

[Michael Mol]

On Wed, Nov 9, 2011 at 1:58 PM, Steven J Long
<slong@rathaus.eclipse.co.uk> wrote:
> Michael Mol wrote:
>
>> I'd like to have the Handbook in a format convenient for reading in
>> ebook readers.
>>
>> Now, I know I could take the existing HTML files and convert them, but
>> I think it'd be nicer if I could get the handbook maintenance scripts
>> to automate a conversion process, and then I could download the epub.
>>
>> Who would I talk to get something like that in the works?
>>
> You'd talk to the Documentation project:
> http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/gdp/index.xml

I'll poke at these this evening, probably.

>
> aiui most of the people listed there aren't that active outside their
> own area; for ages nightmorph had been under a load of pressure, until
> swift rejoined the project.
>
> See the bottom of the page for contact details; you'll most likely want to
> join their mailing list. There's also a link to understanding the pretty
> simple GuideXML used. (I have to say it's one of the few applications of
> XML I really like.)
>>
>> (I've also got an idea about autogenerating, e.g. Android apps, so
>> that I could get up-to-date versions of the handbook on my phone and
>> tablet at all times. But I'd need to learn a bit more before I knew
>> how to autogenerate that.)
>>
> Sounds good :-) If you need help with scripting there's the "Portage &
> Programming" forum, the gentoo-devhelp ML, #gentoo-dev-help (yes they're
> hyphenated differently) #bash and #awk, and ofc #friendly-coders on irc
> server: chat.freenode.net. IRC really is worth getting on to if you're not
> already online as it's _really_ easy to get expert help quickly (so long as
> you bear in mind it's all voluntary and shelter from the beasts in a
> friendly channel;) and practically all the devs are there in various places.
> --
> #friendly-coders -- We're friendly, but we're not /that/ friendly ;-)

I'm on just under two dozen channels on Freenode right now. You'll
notice me as 'mikemol'. I'll add to my lurk set. :)



-- 
:wq

Re: [gentoo-user] Handbook as epub

[James Broadhead]

On 9 November 2011 17:09, Michael Mol <mikemol@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'd like to have the Handbook in a format convenient for reading in
> ebook readers.
>
> Now, I know I could take the existing HTML files and convert them, but
> I think it'd be nicer if I could get the handbook maintenance scripts
> to automate a conversion process, and then I could download the epub.

The Gentoo documentation is generated from XML, so creating something
to generate a .epub (which is just a bunch of zipped .html files)
shouldn't be too hard.

That said, I have had great success using Instapaper to create .epub
from .html. If you coupled that with a service which creates RSS feeds
by watching static pages for changes, you could have an updated epub
every time the RSS got an update. Easy! *

Steven covered everything else :)