Cantabile for Beginners Guide

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Some time ago, I started creating a Cantabile Guide for absolute Beginners, in order to address some of the typical “I’m new to all this…” newbie questions and avoid us “old hands” having to answer these same questions multiple times over and over again.

I never really found the time to finish this, so maybe a collaborative effort may help here. To make this a somewhat orderly process, I’ve now created a GitHub repository for this. If you want to contribute, get an account on GitHub, then create a “fork” to get a copy of the repository and work away on your additions to the ReadMe.md file (you’ll have to be able to write Markdown syntax for that).

Once you’re done, create a “pull request” on my original repository to have your changes integrated into the master document.

Here’s a bit of “how-to” on how to create a fork and pull requests.

This may be a bit convoluted at first, but it will allow me to have a more orderly process of managing the contributions and ensure a cohesive document than just have everybody add stuff wildly in a public Google document.

Here is the repository on GitHub:

There’s already a bit of fundamental content and an overall structure in there, so this may already help absolute beginners on their first steps. And if we “old hands” pull together, this can become a decent go-to-document for newbies here.

Cheers,

Torsten

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If you remember, “trust” members were in a “Lounge” group some time back where this was discussed. We made a layout of topics, and planned videos for beginners. We also routed beginners to Brad’s videos and guides. The reason for this was a huge surge of newbies, all asking the same basic repetitive questions. The forum members stayed busy with those questions. The ideas never came to fruition, but we did direct newbies to Brad’s media for awhile…

We also discussed the fact that newbies, (not all), have a tendency to want a live person to get started. We did come up with a document for all beginners to read before they were allowed to access the forum. Then there was dissention on that, because some felt it would kill the “friendliness” of the forum. @terrybritton started lessons based on our ideas, but I am sure lack of time ended his project.

IMHO, there is no need for outside sources, or non-members to be involved in this. This should be trust members only., not GitHub or any other forum. The lounge is still alive. The documents, ideas, and discussions were already made. The only thing missing is the execution of the plan , made by the time and sweat of trust members.

My 2 cents
Corky

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Awww, but shucks, Corky - I don’t have the time!!!
(WAIT!!! I actually DO have the time NOW!!! What a dilemma!)

Ok-Ok, I’m on it…

Terry

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LOL! It’s only 2 yrs ago.

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TBH, I don’t really have a preference who adds to the document and if we need to keep it in some constrained group of “trust members”, as long as the content is useful. I just felt that the previous effort (and the “plan that was in place”) wasn’t going anywhere after a lot of discussion on process, content and priorities. So I’m just putting this out there in its current state in the hope it may be helpful to newbies.

I will be working on the document going forward whenever I find a couple of minutes. But in the meantime, I’m just leaving it out there to be somewhat useful to whoever finds it so, rather than keeping it locked up somewhere until it is “finished and ready to be shared”.

Regarding the platform, I’ve just found that just putting a Google document out there for a larger group to edit can become chaotic very quickly - an orderly versioning and change management process that GitHub offers for free can be super-helpful; it gives me very fine-grained control over the additions and modifications contributed and how to integrate them in the document without losing overall consistency. That’s why I picked GitHub as a platform for hosting this document.

I’ll be doing the overall “housekeeping” and “chief editor role” for this doc to keep the structure consistent and avoid it drifting in all kinds of different directions. This structure is purely from my personal perspective and of my history of learning Cantabile - I’ll accept all the blame for anything I consciously or unconsciously leave out :wink: . And I reserve the right to make edits and changes to any incoming contributions in order to fit them better into the overall logic and style of the document.

If any of you have the time and inclination to contribute one or two sections to the document along the current structure, that would definitely help! And if you don’t want to go through the nerdy motions of using GitHub, feel free to just send me some text via PM - I’m happy to incorporate it. But be warned: this will not be a democracy but rather a friendly dictatorship :wink: - I’m not going into a “group-think exercise” on this…

Overall, I’m just looking to contribute a bit of “pre-packaged knowledge” to get new users started quickly and establish some sort of common ground. Not trying to create the definitive “tell-all-and-end-all” guide to Cantabile; just the basic elements to have more constructive discussions here in terms of what to “expect as known” and potentially refer back to.

Again, not wanting to re-start a debate on the best way forward - I’m just putting this out there and will continue adding to it - if anyone wants to contribute, you’re very much invited and appreciated!

Cheers,

Torsten

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Wow

Double Wow

So, you call all the shots. You are “chief editor”. “You alone make edits”. “This is not a democracy, rather a dictatorship”

I always respected your knowledge, and input, but I am stunned by this from you.
Go for it then. Do what you want. I thought this forum was for ALL of us, but apparently it is not.
Why would anyone send any suggestions for you to rip up at your discretion. In fact, you do not need us.

Honestly, I am disheartened by this. I will not participate. Time will tell if I continue to stay in this forum anymore.

Corky

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Honestly, I don’t know what your problem is with this and why all the aggressive tone?? I’m getting a bit worried, @Corky - are you OK? I thought we were on better terms than this…

What I’m doing here: I’m putting some content out there for beginners, hoping it will help them. I started this document some time ago, hoping to kick off a collaborative effort in completing it, but after lots of discussions back and forth between various members, I didn’t see a lot convergence on moving forward, so it looked rather like a continuation of individual efforts like @terrybritton’s great series of tutorial videos.

These days, I thought it would be worth pulling out my old document again in the hope that what I have already written might be useful to new users. This is initially my creation, but I am inviting whoever feels like it to contribute in a kind of “open-source” approach to get this to be more helpful in less time. I’m happy to continue working on this on my little own if none of us old hands find the time or inclination to contribute - not a problem… .

I am not claiming this is representative of a joined-up effort of senior forum members or anything - rather an attempt from my side to provide some know-how in a structured way in a hope that it may be helpful. And if some of the “old hands” want to help create this document, I’d be grateful - and the newbies will be even more so.

Again, I have to ask you @Corky: what is wrong with this??? I’m not “taking over the forum”, but investing my time to provide some content I believe may be useful. So far, I have created this document on my own - I haven’t appropriated anyone’s content or done other heinous things. If someone feels they can help bring this forward and they provide content, I’ll be sure to credit them as contributors - not looking to steal from anybody.

But as in any collaborative article or in an open-source development effort, there needs to be someone to bring everything together into a cohesive whole. This is how I choose to do this on this specific document - I’m not forcing anyone to contribute; I just hope some of us here find it in them to contribute a couple of paragraphs to fill this out a bit more quickly.

Honestly, what does a document I create and maintain in my own time in my own Github space and offer to the public have to to do with “this forum being for all of us”??? And I don’t get at all why my writing and putting up such a document and inviting contributions should make you question your staying in this forum - again, what is really the problem?

Maybe we should have a chat via PM - I’m really a bit worried about this tone and attitude…

Love & Peace,

Torsten

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But only accessible if you are “regular”, plain members can not see it.