Re: Cannot generate web manuals

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@xemacs.org>]

Glenn Morris writes:
 > Xue Fuqiao wrote:
 > 
 > >> I would not bother if I were you. To date we intentionally only provide
 > >> the main manuals in non-html formats. It is a pain to keep multiple
 > >> formats up-to-date, for little benefit IMO.
 > >
 > > Why?  Can't we just use the same method used by emacs/lispref/eintr for
 > > `(manual-misc-manuals)' and just press `M-x make-manuals'?
 > 
 > Of course you _can_ do that, I'm saying it's pointless.

Considering the existence of readthedocs.org, yep, it's pointless.

Of course, RTDO doesn't support Texinfo, which might be a problem.
But wait!  The RTDO site is free software (MIT license, so GPL-able if
you wish) and requires only free software (Python and Django) to run.
You already have the code for making docs (in the Makefiles), which is
undoubtedly (haven't actually checked, but...) the smallest part of
the site anyway.

 > Does any distribution package the pdf versions of those files?

Not that I know of, but readthedocs.org does.

 > Is there anyone who really wants the pdf version and does not have
 > access to TeX?

Windows users, Mac users, tablet users.  (Being able to install via
Cygwin or MacPorts or from source is not "having access", and AFAIK
TeX hasn't been ported to iOS -- tell me I'm wrong, Mitsuharu! -- or
Android.)

 > I guarantee you that if you only do some, someone will complain about
 > the ones you did not do. So you'll have to do them all. And update all
 > formats, at every release.

Mechanical process, should not require human intervention.

readthedocs.gnu.org, anybody?

(Not me, I'm fine with Info -- I only read Emacs docs when in Emacs
anyway.)

Steve