Working on the New Version of the Slackbook: From XML to Markdown (and a Call for Contributors!)
Working on the New Version of the Slackbook: From XML to Markdown (and a Call for Contributors!)
Hi everyone!
A few years ago, I participated in the effort to translate the Slackbook (the official Slackware Linux documentation) into Brazilian Portuguese. Back then, the entire structure of the book was maintained in XML files—a robust format, but let’s be honest, not very practical for quick editing, reading, or seamless collaboration.
Over the last few weeks, I decided to pick this initiative back up and launch a modernization project: migrating all Slackbook content from XML to Markdown.
What’s been done so far?
The good news is that the first technical phase is complete: 100% of the files have been converted to Markdown format. This makes the repository much lighter, highly readable, and ready for community contributions via Git.
The next challenge: Content Updates
While the format conversion is finished, the book’s content needs some love. A lot has changed over the years, and much of the documentation is outdated. There is also a strong need to introduce new material to reflect the current ecosystem.
To keep everything organized, I’ve set up a ToDo list directly in the project repository.
How can you help?
If you enjoy Slackware, like writing technical documentation, or simply want to give back to the open-source ecosystem, your support is more than welcome!
You can contribute in several ways:
- Updating outdated sections: Reviewing older concepts and commands.
- Writing new chapters/sections: Adding guides and explanations for recent technologies.
- Proofreading: Helping with grammar, phrasing, and overall clarity.
- Feedback & Suggestions: Opening issues or sharing ideas in the repository.
Check out the project and track the ToDo list directly in the Git repository - https://forge.slackware.nl/brunorusso/slackbook/src/branch/master/TODO.md.
Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a huge difference for the community!
Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments or reach out. Let’s build the new version of the Slackbook together!