[asterisk-users] Manager Interface API's (OSS doc discussion)

[Michael Collins]

I guess I simply have a different viewpoint.  If I document, even
lightly, something that I give to the general public (or a specific
group within that general public), I feel I *WILL* get a ROI.  The more
people who use my 'gift' the better.  Who knows if someone will return
to me a snippet of code that makes my script/program even better?

The other thing is this: I looked at the Perl module Doug referenced.
It was uploaded to the CPAN, which means that it was meant to be shared
with the general public.  The documentation on this module is skeletal,
and that is a generous description.  (I also pored over the source and
found next to nothing in the way of documentation.) Fortunately the CPAN
allows authors to accept annotations - the annotated CPAN - which means
that a generous soul who has "figured it out" can post his knowledge for
everyone's benefit.  

As for the Python modules, I confess that I know nothing about them or
Python.

Bottom line: Free code w/o documentation should be disclaimed as such.
On the other hand, documentation is NEVER a bad thing.  Ever.  OSS
thrives when we share, not just code, but knowledge and ideas.  

-MC

> 
> If I just made something that I needed...and then decided to release
it to
> the public incase anyone else needed it...I wouldn't waste my time
> documenting it...because there is no ROI to me for that....
>