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The Community Cafe
The Community Chat area is for lighthearted and enjoyable discussions, like you might find around a water cooler at work.

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Old July 20th, 2005   #1
maruchan
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Ideas and Plans for Improving Ubuntu Documentation

Does anybody else hesitate to refer new users to the wiki?

There's a lot of valuable information on the wiki, but it just isn't very noob friendly. For one, everything is WrittenLikeThis. And then there's the fact that wikis are usually so loosely structured that users feel really confused.

As long as there is a doc team, why not just set up a new user docs-only site with a simple-to-navigate CMS and call it the official ubuntu guide? If people are going to wet their pants if they can't edit a page, let them leave a comment or sign up to be on the doc team.

If this isn't possible, let's at least have a "New users click here for the manual" link above all the "You too can edit wiki pages!" self-gratifying snarf on the home page.

EndOfRant
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Old July 20th, 2005   #2
benplaut
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Re: Opinions on the Wiki

Quote:
Originally Posted by maruchan
Does anybody else hesitate to refer new users to the wiki?

There's a lot of valuable information on the wiki, but it just isn't very noob friendly. For one, everything is WrittenLikeThis. And then there's the fact that wikis are usually so loosely structured that users feel really confused.

As long as there is a doc team, why not just set up a new user docs-only site with a simple-to-navigate CMS and call it the official ubuntu guide? If people are going to wet their pants if they can't edit a page, let them leave a comment or sign up to be on the doc team.

If this isn't possible, let's at least have a "New users click here for the manual" link above all the "You too can edit wiki pages!" self-gratifying snarf on the home page.

EndOfRant
the Wiki isn't organised well... it's really hard to find stuff...

surely some CMS's can be set up to work Wiki style?
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Old July 20th, 2005   #3
Burgundavia
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Re: Opinions on the Wiki

The wiki has been neglected by us recently. This is now coming to an end. We are also working on getting our official help that is shipped with the distro to a new webspace as well.

And as for CamelCase, I wish it would go away too, but I don't have enough clout.

Corey

Last edited by Burgundavia; July 20th, 2005 at 08:53 PM.. Reason: typo
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Old July 20th, 2005   #4
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Re: Opinions on the Wiki

Have you seen this?

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UserDocumentation

There is also

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/forum

But the first link is way better. The goal is for forum staff to encourage people to use and contribute back to the wiki. We will get on this shortly, just as soon as we get our act together.

Think contests.....
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Old July 20th, 2005   #5
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Re: Opinions on the Wiki

I get up for five minutes and twelve people post before I do....

What the heck is CamelCase? Like, where does the word ComeFrom?

http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=31094

*That* is a taget of opportunity for a wiki porting contest. RastaMahata should get a prize right off the bat..
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Old July 20th, 2005   #6
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Re: Opinions on the Wiki

Quote:
Originally Posted by azz
What the heck is CamelCase? Like, where does the word ComeFrom?
The CamelCase name comes from the uppercase "bumps" in the middle of the compound word, suggesting the humps of a camel.

ThatIsWhatWikipediaHasToSayAboutIt.

Seriously, I really don't get it why it is still being used. Might have been very useful for the first wiki's that existed, but it should have been abandoned a long time ago, especially on a site that should be helpful to new users, that probably haven't even heard of the name wiki.
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Old July 20th, 2005   #7
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Re: Opinions on the Wiki

Quote:
Originally Posted by maruchan
Does anybody else hesitate to refer new users to the wiki?
Depends. Some of the wiki pages are well written (like the synaptic howto). But unlike the guide, I would never say "look in the wiki for your answer."

The wiki REALLY needs a page like this:

http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=31094
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Old July 20th, 2005   #8
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Re: Opinions on the Wiki

It does;

http://wiki.ubuntu.com/UserDocumentation

Corey
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Old July 20th, 2005   #9
maruchan
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Re: Opinions on the Wiki

Quote:
Originally Posted by burgundavia
The wiki has been neglected by us recently. This is now coming to an end.
So the wiki is closing down, or what?

Quote:
Originally Posted by poofyhairguy
The wiki REALLY needs a page like this:

http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=31094
That is one awesome forum post.
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Old July 20th, 2005   #10
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Re: Opinions on the Wiki

Quote:
Originally Posted by Burgundavia
That link should be at the top of the Ubuntu.com home page.
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