Syllable’s resident graphics designer Ruud Kuin has published the first issue of his Syllable Development Newsletter [screenshot]. This new project is a continuation of the SDN magazines by Michael Saunders that were popular around two years ago. The first issue contains five main articles and five smaller ones, for a total of eleven pages, by six contributors. Subjects range from a developer interview to the first part of a programming tutorial series. It is accompanied by an archive that conveniently collects software that was released recently: three pieces this time.
It’s an interesting start, but the articles are of uneen quality and length. The one on multithreading was short and sweet, but only really spoke about messages, and even then, in no useful amount of details: it was much like the last two “Pirates of the Carribean” movies: it felt much like a trailer for the next n movies, instead of something that was self-coherent and useful by itself.
On the other hand, one long article about the history of Syllable actually went into a sufficient amount of depth.
It seems it’d likely be much more long-term viable if they ensured that there were perhaps fewer, but better quality articles, instead of the results for this one.
Hi Jonathan;
Thanks for your constructive comment!
I will try to implement your suggestion(-s) next issue.
The number of articles depends on what number is delivered in a month time.
Quality is something this magazine needs to grow into, for some of us it’s a “first-timer” too.
So please be patient.
Ruud
Edited 2007-08-25 00:01
That’s because it is. It’s the first in a series of articles that will introduce the Syllable API and programming with the API. The problem is, you have to start somewhere, and that means you at least need a basic theoretical grasp of threads and messages.
The series will be developed through SDN and then moved into our documentation to act as a full tutorial.
Wow. Fancier and more professional-looking than I expected.
Nice use of the Syllable logo and colorscheme.
I liked the sans-serif font for headings, captions, and abstracts, but I think a serif would look better for the main body text.
The pictures of the authors were a bit odd. I’d prefer to see real pictures instead. If the authors feel weird about having their pictures in there, use photos of their choosing, or else maybe even pseudorandom photos, Greenspun-style.
Just my 2¢.
Edited 2007-08-25 00:20
Hi John;
You’re absolutely right John, next issue will need a more readable body text font.
The authors were asked what they rather had, iconheads was the answer.
Just kidding.
It is the vector styled images that made this SDN not TOO heavy (in size…)
And no real photographs were available, so maybe next time.
Ruud
Edited 2007-08-25 05:48
I really liked this newsletter, if I wanted to be picky…. no
it was a great read and very interesting to learn of AthOS and resulting forks, I kept my eye on all these projects as they haev progressed.
I really like linux but agree 100% that its a complex system with files all over the place and overkill for desktop use in most cases, also dogged by the need to support old libs like X11.
Syllable server is really exciting too, a non X11/ overlay on the linux kernel. look forward to this.
Edited 2007-08-25 16:11
>I really like linux but agree 100% that its a complex system with files all over the place
Bzzzt, you’re confusing Linux the kernel with the current Linux distributions which makes Unix-clones with their benefits (lots of software) and defaults: filesystem mess..
Look at MacOS X, who complains that the kernel is Mach with a FreeBSD personality below?
Noone, because no one cares.
Blue Eyed OS and Cosmoe tried to implement BeOS API on top of Linux, AFAIK they have not succeeded because of a lack of manpower, not because of technical problems.
Your right, I should have said “Common Linux-Distrobutions”
But since were comparing 2 os’s here – I think its fair to compare say ubuntu/fedora etc with syllable.