[svnbook commit] r2833 - trunk/src/en/book

sussman noreply at red-bean.com
Sat Aug 11 16:21:23 CDT 2007


Author: sussman
Date: Sat Aug 11 16:21:22 2007
New Revision: 2833

Log:
Clarify explanation of top-down vs. bottom-up learning.

* src/en/book/ch00-preface.xml
  (svn.preface.howread):  Add paragraph about top-down vs. bottom-up
  learning.  I'm tired of talking about this subject with in every
  conversation I have with people about our book.  I think it's useful
  meta-philosophy..  :-)

* src/en/book/appa-quickstart.xml
  (svn.intro):  Remove terminology from here, now that it's mentioned
  in the Preface.  Simplify the appendix introduction, wrap the 2nd
  paragraph in a <warning>, so impatient people actually see it.


Modified:
   trunk/src/en/book/appa-quickstart.xml
   trunk/src/en/book/ch00-preface.xml

Modified: trunk/src/en/book/appa-quickstart.xml
==============================================================================
--- trunk/src/en/book/appa-quickstart.xml	(original)
+++ trunk/src/en/book/appa-quickstart.xml	Sat Aug 11 16:21:22 2007
@@ -3,19 +3,18 @@
   <title>Subversion Quick-Start Guide</title>
 
 
-  <para>Some people have trouble absorbing a new technology by
-    reading the sort of <quote>top down</quote> approach provided by
-    this book.  This appendix contains a very short introduction to
-    Subversion, and is designed to give <quote>bottom up</quote>
-    learners a fighting chance.  If you prefer to learn by
-    experimentation, the following demonstration will get you up and
-    running.  Along the way, we give links to the relevant chapters
-    of this book.</para>
+  <para>If you're eager to get Subversion up and running (and you
+    enjoy learning by experimentation), this chapter will show you how
+    to create a repository, import code, and then check it back out
+    again as a working copy.  Along the way, we give links to the
+    relevant chapters of this book.</para>
 
+  <warning>
   <para>If you're new to the entire concept of version control or to
     the <quote>copy-modify-merge</quote> model used by both CVS and
     Subversion, then you should read <xref linkend="svn.basic"/>
     before going any further.</para>
+  </warning>
 
 
   <!-- ================================================================= -->

Modified: trunk/src/en/book/ch00-preface.xml
==============================================================================
--- trunk/src/en/book/ch00-preface.xml	(original)
+++ trunk/src/en/book/ch00-preface.xml	Sat Aug 11 16:21:22 2007
@@ -100,11 +100,31 @@
   <sect1 id="svn.preface.howread">
     <title>How to Read this Book</title>
 
-    <para>This book aims to be useful to people of widely different
-      backgrounds—from people with no previous experience in
-      version control to experienced system administrators.  Depending
-      on your own background, certain chapters may be more or less
-      important to you.  The following can be considered a
+    <para>Technical books always face a certain dilemma: whether to
+      cater to <firstterm>top-down</firstterm>
+      or <firstterm>bottom-up</firstterm> learners.  A top-down
+      learner prefers to read or skim documentation, getting a large
+      overview of how the system works; only then does she actually
+      start using the software.  A bottom-learner is a <quote>learn by
+      doing</quote> person, someone who just wants to dive into the
+      software and figure it out as she goes, referring to book
+      sections when necessary.  Most books tend to be written for one
+      type of person or the other, and this book is undoubtedly biased
+      towards top-down learners.  (And if you're actually reading this
+      section, you're probably already a top-down learner yourself!)
+      However, if you're a bottom-up person, don't despair.  While the
+      book may be laid out as a broad survey of Subversion topics, the
+      contents of each section tends to be heavy with specific
+      examples that you can try-by-doing.  For the impatient folks who
+      just want to get going, you can jump right to
+      <xref linkend="svn.intro"/>.</para>
+
+    <para>Regardless of your learning style, this book aims to be
+      useful to people of widely different backgrounds—from
+      people with no previous experience in version control to
+      experienced system administrators.  Depending on your own
+      background, certain chapters may be more or less important to
+      you.  The following can be considered a
       <quote>recommended reading list</quote> for various types of
       readers:</para>
 




More information about the svnbook-dev mailing list