The 'vitality' of documentation
How many large-scale projects became a huge success despite not having any developer documentation?
How many large-scale projects became a miserable failure despite having reams upon reams of developer documentation?
The important thing is understanding and not documentation. Too often we write documentation because the process tells us to, and too rarely we write because we are trying to explain something to someone.
Re: The 'vitality' of documentation
Process pah. You're right of course, reams of documentation is the trees - no help when you need to see the wood.
We've got some of the most effective search and catalogue technology ever available - and yet, how many java docs are indexed by lucene? Even if they are - how many provide the abstract thought that has long since been lost in reams of code.
Ho hum.