Keeping track of site updates

Scipio · 17th May 2003, 21:26

This is a difficult one...

-= The problem =-

Since the updating of the news and the website has been manually (and thus, with time-lag and errors) by me and the other mirrors, we should find a common denominator as how to keep track of the frequent site updates done to doom9.org.

It's pretty illusive that one of us has enough time to go through a whole document manually, so we should find a way to automate the compare process.

For those who don't know (well, all official mirrors do know that), every mirror gets a ftp-log sent to him when Doom9 updates his website. But there you can only where (i.e. in which document) something is changed. Now the task is to find out what has changed.

-= Difficulties =-

A simple difference-log (could perhaps also be done automatically) between different versions of documents is also not the final solution to the problem, either. Why? Well, here's a scenario for you: Imagine a guide updated frequently (the codec-comparison in the first days for example):
Doom9 makes several revisions: 01, 02, .. 05
Now the diff-log would only include <change01->02>, <change02->03> and so on. If one would have to compare everything bit for bit, this would also take too much time.

The version of the document isn't clearly visible from outside. Doom9 has agreed to add a timestamp to each document, so that's a good thing. But we don't have a system (database) where everyone could see the document version. And if he has just changed the link because of a new software release, the document timestamp is updated, too! So that's not very good, either.

-= Suggestions / thoughts =-

A solution/suggestion to the timestamp problem would be to add version numbers to guides, like:
XviD Guide v1.2 - <timestamp>
at the bottom of each page.

I'd also like to suggest to use 2003-05-17 convention for timestamps since the month/day position varies from country to country. 2003/05/17 would fit the bill just as well.

As for the compare problem: I'm sure there are some good tools out there... I haven't had time to search for them (since I wouldn't have the time to update all the pages even if I knew what Doom9 has changed). But I will eventually search for a good tool document compare tool... perhaps some reader of Doom9's already knows one.

--Scipio,
webmaster of german.doom9.net / doom9.de for nearly a year now. I've done this job alone so you can ask me your questions about all these topics and how I handle this and that... All I can tell is that this is not optimal at all (the DADADA, EEEEEE thingy is already deeply anchored in my fingers...

).

DonHora · 18th May 2003, 00:22

It's a very good idea to set up an automatic compare system. It can save us a lot of time. A tool that could watch the changes and allow the site maintainer to assign the translation of the modification to a given translator. That would be great!

Firstly, tools like CVS or BitKeeper came to my mind, but they are very unfriendly. Tomorrow I'll look for better alternatives.

++
DonHora.

17th May 2003, 21:26	#1 \| Link
Scipio translation mod Join Date: May 2002 Location: http://german.doom9.org/ Posts: 284	Keeping track of site updates This is a difficult one... -= The problem =- Since the updating of the news and the website has been manually (and thus, with time-lag and errors) by me and the other mirrors, we should find a common denominator as how to keep track of the frequent site updates done to doom9.org. It's pretty illusive that one of us has enough time to go through a whole document manually, so we should find a way to automate the compare process. For those who don't know (well, all official mirrors do know that), every mirror gets a ftp-log sent to him when Doom9 updates his website. But there you can only where (i.e. in which document) something is changed. Now the task is to find out what has changed. -= Difficulties =- A simple difference-log (could perhaps also be done automatically) between different versions of documents is also not the final solution to the problem, either. Why? Well, here's a scenario for you: Imagine a guide updated frequently (the codec-comparison in the first days for example): Doom9 makes several revisions: 01, 02, .. 05 Now the diff-log would only include <change01->02>, <change02->03> and so on. If one would have to compare everything bit for bit, this would also take too much time. The version of the document isn't clearly visible from outside. Doom9 has agreed to add a timestamp to each document, so that's a good thing. But we don't have a system (database) where everyone could see the document version. And if he has just changed the link because of a new software release, the document timestamp is updated, too! So that's not very good, either. -= Suggestions / thoughts =- A solution/suggestion to the timestamp problem would be to add version numbers to guides, like: XviD Guide v1.2 - <timestamp> at the bottom of each page. I'd also like to suggest to use 2003-05-17 convention for timestamps since the month/day position varies from country to country. 2003/05/17 would fit the bill just as well. As for the compare problem: I'm sure there are some good tools out there... I haven't had time to search for them (since I wouldn't have the time to update all the pages even if I knew what Doom9 has changed). But I will eventually search for a good tool document compare tool... perhaps some reader of Doom9's already knows one. --Scipio, webmaster of german.doom9.net / doom9.de for nearly a year now. I've done this job alone so you can ask me your questions about all these topics and how I handle this and that... All I can tell is that this is not optimal at all (the DADADA, EEEEEE thingy is already deeply anchored in my fingers... ). __________________ [Translation Guidelines] - [Overview of Doom9 translation mirrors] - - - [German Doom9] When arguing with an idiot, make sure he isn't doing the same.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

18th May 2003, 00:22	#2 \| Link
DonHora Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: France - Lyon Posts: 51	It's a very good idea to set up an automatic compare system. It can save us a lot of time. A tool that could watch the changes and allow the site maintainer to assign the translation of the modification to a given translator. That would be great! Firstly, tools like CVS or BitKeeper came to my mind, but they are very unfriendly. Tomorrow I'll look for better alternatives. ++ DonHora.