[FFmpeg-user] where to post suggestion for the documentation?

[Jim DeLaHunt]

On 2020-11-02 13:42, Steve Newcomb wrote:

> Where should I post a suggestion for a minor clarifying improvement to 
> the documentation that certainly would have saved me some time 
> <https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/8944#comment:2>? 

Thank you for pointing out this omission in the FFmpeg documentation 
<https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-protocols.html#pipe>. You are making a good 
suggestion about what to add in order to correct that omission:

 > Any number of unnamed output pipes is supported, provided all output 
pipes are inherited from a parent process that creates them, allows them 
to be inherited by child processes, and then spawns ffmpeg and all the 
processes that will read those same pipes.

I think <https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/8944> is a poor place to put 
that message, however, because the ticket's description is already 
centred around the observations about ffmpeg functionality; observations 
which ar ebased on a misunderstanding. That means this ticket will 
likely get closed and ignored.

It would be better to have a separate ticket which is centred on the 
documentation omission.

Just to set your expectations, however, this project does not seem to 
value improving its documentation. Don't be surprised if that ticket 
languishes. You could also learn how to edit the documentation, and 
submit a patch with the documentation fix to ffmpeg-devel. That patch 
might well also languish, because it may not get the sign-off required 
for it to be applied. I speak from experience.

As evidence of this attitude, see 
<https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/8944#comment:3> on your ticket:

 > FFmpeg's documentation is not a a beginner's course to Unix. Learn to 
use your operating system.

Zero concession that the documentation omits useful information. Zero 
acknowledgement that the documentation should have a goal to help users 
succeed when using FFmpeg. 100% blame on user's ignorance for the obstacle.

As a second-best approach, I've included your suggested paragraph here, 
where it will get into the list archives. Maybe someone searching for 
help will find your insight that way.

Sorry to be a bearer of bad news. Thank you again for your efforts to 
share what you have learned. Many readers of this list appreciate it.

      —Jim DeLaHunt, software engineer, Vancouver, Canada