The Ubuntu Manual Project needs your help!

[JoshuaRL]

Might want to check out the Ubuntu Community Learning Project. Not exactly the same, but your idea could easily fall under the umbrella of what they're trying to do. And they have Canonical support too. Better to consolidate and work together than to branch or start fresh and be yet another project in search of help.

But I may be wrong, there may be a lot of support for this idea and UCLP may not want a hand in it. It would be a good idea to check first though. I know every one of the board members except for Martin Owens, and I'm sure they would all be happy to discuss your idea.

[chessnerd]

1. How to use the Software Center to its fullest potential
2. It depends on what the final product is like when Lucid comes out. As long as it is a fully finished, professional-looking product, then it should. If it's unfinished, or rushed to meet the deadline, no. Then it should be mentioned with a link to a website containing the manual, but it shouldn't be included.
3. Yes, a link to the manual should appear on the desktop by default.
4. Probably not. If it was short and without too many pictures then I might spare the ink on it, but otherwise, I wouldn't bother with it.
5. PDF is good
6. Evolution
7. Printing/scanning - it's both important and more difficult than in Windows

Good luck, you guys. I'm sure the finished product will help a lot of people. Just make sure to point them here if they need more help. The guys on this forum are better than any manual.

[brishu]

Questions:

1. If you could choose one Ubuntu-specific thing to be included in an Ubuntu Manual, what would it be?
-> The software Center.
** not exactly a ubuntu specific thing, but setting up a network with your Windows so that you can share files easily should also imo be a topic that should be considered.

2. Do you believe a manual like this should be included in Lucid Lynx by default?
-> while i DO think that having a tutorial included by Default is a good idea, i say we let it have a trial run. if it goes well/ looks like its maintainable then yes.

3. If it was to be included by default, do you think it should be on the desktop?
-> On the Applications Menu yes, on the Desktop no. Maybe on the LiveCD desktop

4. Would you be interested in printing such a manual?
-> Dont have the resources to .... but i might print off a chapter or select pages to give to friends

5. Do you think PDF is a good format, or would you prefer HTML or another format?
-> id say keep a .pdf option, and HTML version is also a good idea, although i would say a HTML version that is almost identical to the .pdf version and doesnt have fluff like Videos, vids are helpful at times, but a nice detailed page is easier to go back to.

6. We are including a section on using the default applications. Which do you think should have the most detail?
->
Open Office <- most of the things i needed do needed, word(OOo Writer in this case ), and working 7+ hours on a project and having it not format correctly when it was opened in Word, and then spending ANOTHER hr on fixing the formatting was not an experience i want to deal with ...


7. Out of the following hardware categories, which one should have the most detail?
-> I'm going with say Printers, but thats mainly cause most of my hardware was compatible and i have had absolutely no problems.

[Nevon]

1. If you could choose one Ubuntu-specific thing to be included in an Ubuntu Manual, what would it be?
Instructions on how to install software using the package manager, rather than downloading strange executables from random websites.

2. Do you believe a manual like this should be included in Lucid Lynx by default?
Sure. They do that with Linux Mint already.

3. If it was to be included by default, do you think it should be on the desktop?
Yes, and preferably opened by default on a newly installed system.

4. Would you be interested in printing such a manual?
Not for me, no.

5. Do you think PDF is a good format, or would you prefer HTML or another format?
PDF is great. Perhaps you could have an alternative version if you'd like, but for me, PDF is solid.

6. We are including a section on using the default applications. Which do you think should have the most detail?

Rhythmbox
F-Spot
Open Office
Tomboy
Empathy (I'm sure it can be confusing for new users)
Firefox
Evolution
Totem
Ubuntu One

7. Out of the following hardware categories, which one should have the most detail?

Printing/Scanning (This can sometimes be quite difficult even for more experienced users.)
Display
External devices
Webcams
Sound
Disk Drives

[nilarimogard]

1. Adding PPAs - the visual way, and how to find a PPA you might be interested in.
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. PDF is ok.
6. Rhythmbox -> people love music. Firefox would have been my main choice, but people already know most about it since it's you can use it in all operating systems.
7. Sound

[Khakilang]

5. I think PDF is a good format.

[YosefKaro]

1) Where to turn for help eg the forums or IRC ie to promote community awareness; I was totally at a loss until I discovered the community.
2) yes
3) yes
4) yes
5) pdf
6) firefox and empathy
7) printing/scanning

[Mornedhel]

To be honest, I fail to see the advantages of PDF in this case, while HTML clearly has some:

* video support
* copy pasting works better than from a PDF
* can read it even without X working in case of emergencies
* navigating hyperlinks is easier than in a PDF

[irishbreakfast]

1. I agree with houseworkshy
2. Yes
3. Yes. Good for newbies.
4. Never
5. Actually the first preference is for one where the user can enter their own notes.
6. don't care
7. Sound

[tadcan]

6. Pitvi (or whatever video editor is chosen) since the goal is to have the same functionality in ubuntu as is in win/osx.

/rant/
The help files so far have been very lacking in this regard. Simply saving to install an editor and away you go, which passed the responsibility onto the app creator to provide the documentation. Mark said in a speech that he wanted those tasks to be done in ubuntu. I get the impression that no one at canonical knows about video editing.
/rant/