(ET) Open-source comprehensive ET manual

["Joseph Rock" <jerock solidtech net>]

All,
  This sounds like a great idea for all ET (and follow-ons thereof)
owners.  I'll contribute the appropriate web site space (for document
download) and serve as the central merge point/editor.  I've got the
appropriate s/w tools handy and can do the word processing quick enough
- but for this to work all the folks with the experience and knowledge
need to chip in.  First cut on the document chapters sounds like:
 
1. E8M and E10M
2. E12s
3. E12 (including E12M) (early)
4. E15 (early)
5. E20 (early)
6. Large Frame ET (E12, E14, E15, E16, E20)
7. Large Frame Wheel Horse (I-5 ??)
8. Common issues (batteries, chargers, ??)
 
  We could keep each chapter separate for quicker download/edit and then
when we declare "Version 1.0" I can make a single document with all the
chapters and have it as a PDF (which we can put on the Elec-trak.org
site).  I can post the chapters as PDF, MS-Word, and HTML - or just
MS-Word if everyone has Word or a compatible editor handy.  Should we
replicate all the info in the Service Manual as a base or make this
strictly a supplement?
 
thoughts?
 
Joe Rock
 
 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: John B Reinhard [mailto:reinharj frontiernet net]
Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2004 10:08 AM
To: Elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: (ET) expanding the number of working electraks


Along the lines of Steves comment "machines brought back to life" - 
 
It probably help if we coould somehow create (maybe it exists) a 'quick
reference guide' for the ET - similar to the sheets that come with many
new products, along with the lengthy owners manual.
 
Combine:
 
1) Pictorial quick reference
2) organized knowlege gained from the many hundreds of years of
collective experience the owners on this list have.
3) areas of concern (brakes, for example)
4) areas of improvement - charging system & battery maintenence
5) battery pro / on matrix sheet - wet / sealed /gel / etc - whatever
types of batteries.
etc
 
I know some of this is in original owners manuals, etc. Also, on web -
on that page that recently had a bit of trouble.
 
I guess I am talking about a distributed group effort where we all
contribute whatever we can - as we have done so far - BUT, it can take
some time to search through thousands of email messages for clues to
solve a problem.
 
If we could organize all the info into a .PDF format - printable book or
guide, then it could be printed & handed to new owners of these 'fixer
uppers' that a few of us have talked about.
 
I think this relates also to a discussuion in the lsat couple weeks -
responses to a new owner with some concerns about reliability, and list
response to that owner with various suggestions.
 
Of course, time is always a problem.
But maybe the 'open software model' - where many contribute for the
public good - but, for us, more organized, or prioritized - would enable
this to happen.