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D - The D Journal: to be or not to be?

reply Andrew <Andrew_member pathlink.com> writes:
Seems like every so often a firestorm rages about plans for The D Journal: but
it quickly fades against the backdrop of numerous other D-centric topics. Is
there or is there not going to be a Journal? What is the status? When can we
anticipate the end of this (now two+ years) incubation stage?

Apart from a few writing assignments at school, I have nothing behind me to
suggest that I could even begin to write articles for this journal. Coupled with
a marginal understanding of the programming world and little time to dedicate to
actively enhance that understanding, I seriously doubt I can be of much (if any)
assistance. I would like to VOLUNTEER to do SOMETHING though, because I think
it's time to start moving forward.

Andrew
Mar 16 2004
next sibling parent reply "Matthew" <matthew stlsoft.org> writes:
 Seems like every so often a firestorm rages about plans for The D Journal:
but
 it quickly fades against the backdrop of numerous other D-centric topics.
True
 Is
 there or is there not going to be a Journal?
There is
 What is the status?
The status is "on hold". There are several reasons for this, as detailed below.
 When can we
 anticipate the end of this (now two+ years) incubation stage?
IIRC, I suggested this in June 2002, so it's 1.75+ years, but what's a few half hairs between friends.
 Apart from a few writing assignments at school, I have nothing behind me
to
 suggest that I could even begin to write articles for this journal.
Apart from the longest PhD thesis my examiner had ever seen in his long and distinguished career, my first step at being an author was from a similar precipitous drop. And 60+ articles and two magazine columns later (http://www.synesis.com.au/articles.html) and I'm still not sure I have the second idea what I'm doing. However, I do have the first idea what I'm doing, which is to start. That's it. Nothing more complicated. As the "editor" of The D Journal, I'm more than happy to assist with corrections etc., so all you need is to have an idea and just write it down.
 Coupled with
 a marginal understanding of the programming world and little time to
dedicate to
 actively enhance that understanding, I seriously doubt I can be of much
(if any)
 assistance.
Well, at least you're honest. :)
 I would like to VOLUNTEER to do SOMETHING though,
Thanks. Your time will be absorbed into the large amorphous jelly monster that will rear its palid head some months hence ...
because I think
 it's time to start moving forward.
I agree. The D Journal is stalled for two reasons, one of which is kinda moot at this point. The main reason is that there is no content as yet. This is because we've had very few (suggestions for) submissions. This is, I guess, because the language is young, and TDJ is currently non-existent: people are more interested in spending their precious time learning the language and/or writing libraries than writing articles. That's perfectly understandable. The second reason springs from the first. The only way TDJ will get off the ground is if Walter and I, and the few others who have already made proposals, bite the bullet and write the content for the first few issues ourselves. Unfortunately, Walter's perennially busy, and I'm still wading through the last few weeks of my book, as well as several other commitments. I am keen to get TDJ off the ground, as is Walter, but I'm also quite patient about it. D is still new, and people are very busy. But don't mistake patience for apathy/disinterest. I *believe* that TDJ will happen, I *expect* that it will happen this year (before we hit the 30 months mark <g>), and I *intend* to make it happen, as long as there is sufficient support from others (which means admin stuff at first, submissions later). I don't know if that's the answer you want, but that's the reality as I see it. FYI, my D-time at the moment is being spent writing the DTL. There'll be lots of article content there, I assure you, once it's done. :-) Cheers Matthew
Mar 16 2004
next sibling parent Andrew <Andrew_member pathlink.com> writes:
In article <c37g17$17jn$1 digitaldaemon.com>, Matthew says...
IIRC, I suggested this in June 2002, so it's 1.75+ years, but what's a few
half hairs between friends.
Sorry, in calculating time I often resort to integer caluclations and rounding (.5 or better: round up, otherwise: round down). :)
Mar 16 2004
prev sibling parent Charles Hixson <charleshixsn earthlink.net> writes:
Matthew wrote:
Seems like every so often a firestorm rages about plans for The D Journal:
but
it quickly fades against the backdrop of numerous other D-centric topics.
True
Is
there or is there not going to be a Journal?
There is
What is the status?
The status is "on hold". There are several reasons for this, as detailed below.
...
 FYI, my D-time at the moment is being spent writing the DTL. There'll be
 lots of article content there, I assure you, once it's done. :-)
 
 Cheers
 
 Matthew
A Wild Suggestion: Perhaps a journal, at least at the start, is the wrong form to aim for. Perhaps it should start as a cyclopedia. This form would have articles added into it as they arrived, and were approved by the editor(s). The goal would be to have a unified collection of all knowledge (about D). It could have Subject, Title, Author, and Chronological indexes. This form would probably be able to sustain a smaller volume of contributions, and could migrate into a journal form when the frequency of submissions became sufficient to justify it. Unless, of course, you were thinking of printing it, in which case other considerations would apply.
Mar 16 2004
prev sibling parent reply Ilya Minkov <minkov cs.tum.edu> writes:
Andrew schrieb:
 Seems like every so often a firestorm rages about plans for The D Journal: but
 it quickly fades against the backdrop of numerous other D-centric topics. Is
 there or is there not going to be a Journal? What is the status? When can we
 anticipate the end of this (now two+ years) incubation stage?
Hmmm... The disadvantage of the D journal, is that only D community members would profit from it. This would especially be important if community was not united, like C++ comunity. Here the newsgoup and Wiki and the central points of information exchange, so the need for a magazine is less. Probably it's better to get articles about D practice to publish in other domains, where there are many readers but few of them are aware of or so far interested by D. These articles should be practical, but should also hint onto points where D is more advantageous than, say C++, or some other language. People, even sceptics, when looking though such articles, would slowly learn the advantages of D and might join the community then. My suggestions would be demoscene diskmags such as HUGI and such open-minded programming magazines as Toolbox.
 Apart from a few writing assignments at school, I have nothing behind me to
 suggest that I could even begin to write articles for this journal. Coupled
with
 a marginal understanding of the programming world and little time to dedicate
to
 actively enhance that understanding, I seriously doubt I can be of much (if
any)
 assistance. I would like to VOLUNTEER to do SOMETHING though, because I think
 it's time to start moving forward.
I would think that you have read articles of different quality, and can judge it... Write something, give it a few days to rest, read it again. Perhaps you will want to improve it. You may also give it to us to revise it. I would believe there is no other way to writing articles than by learning by doing. Having little time to dedicate is the major problem of mine and most others, i believe. -eye
Mar 16 2004
parent reply "Matthew" <matthew stlsoft.org> writes:
"Ilya Minkov" <minkov cs.tum.edu> wrote in message
news:c37g9n$180l$1 digitaldaemon.com...
 Andrew schrieb:
 Seems like every so often a firestorm rages about plans for The D
Journal: but
 it quickly fades against the backdrop of numerous other D-centric
topics. Is
 there or is there not going to be a Journal? What is the status? When
can we
 anticipate the end of this (now two+ years) incubation stage?
Hmmm... The disadvantage of the D journal, is that only D community members would profit from it. This would especially be important if community was not united, like C++ comunity. Here the newsgoup and Wiki and the central points of information exchange, so the need for a magazine is less. Probably it's better to get articles about D practice to publish in other domains, where there are many readers but few of them are aware of or so far interested by D. These articles should be practical, but should also hint onto points where D is more advantageous than, say C++, or some other language. People, even sceptics, when looking though such articles, would slowly learn the advantages of D and might join the community then. My suggestions would be demoscene diskmags such as HUGI and such open-minded programming magazines as
Toolbox. Good point. That is what Walter and I have done so far. IIRC correctly, four of my articles and one instalment of my CUJ column have been about D, or have featured D strongly. (One of those was with Walter in March's DDJ.) I think Walter has said that the web stats indicate related activity, but one can never be sure. I'm also aware that D is starting to influence C++, but best keep that to yourselves, eh, lest the zealots put a spell on you. :-)
 Apart from a few writing assignments at school, I have nothing behind me
to
 suggest that I could even begin to write articles for this journal.
Coupled with
 a marginal understanding of the programming world and little time to
dedicate to
 actively enhance that understanding, I seriously doubt I can be of much
(if any)
 assistance. I would like to VOLUNTEER to do SOMETHING though, because I
think
 it's time to start moving forward.
I would think that you have read articles of different quality, and can judge it... Write something, give it a few days to rest, read it again. Perhaps you will want to improve it. You may also give it to us to revise it. I would believe there is no other way to writing articles than by learning by doing. Having little time to dedicate is the major problem of mine and most others, i believe.
Spot on.
Mar 16 2004
parent "Walter" <walter digitalmars.com> writes:
"Matthew" <matthew stlsoft.org> wrote in message
news:c37h2i$1978$2 digitaldaemon.com...
 I'm also aware that D is starting to influence C++, but best keep that to
 yourselves, eh, lest the zealots put a spell on you. :-)
Which features?
Mar 19 2004