On 8/16/07, Alan Burlison <Alan.Burlison at sun.com> wrote: > Brandorr wrote: > > >> We already have the first, we aren't creating any new lists and nobody > >> is hiding anything. All I am doing is making it easier for people to > >> find the existing forum for help. What exactly is the problem with that? > > > > I hate to say it, but the FAQs are not FAQs. We aren't taking the most > > frequently asked questions on opensolaris-discuss and posting them to > > the FAQ. In the ideal world, when ever someone asked a question, we > > would point them to the FAQ. If there is no entry in the FAQ, you > > would put an entry in the FAQ and then point them to the FAQ. > I await your rewritten content. I'll be happy to post the changes for you.
I am actually working on implementing a prototype of this, I just don't have something to present yet. (It will be self service, meaning that anyone can add a question to the FAQ, so that people can swing by and answer questions at their convenience.) > >>> P.S. just BTW: what do you mean by "OpenSolaris Content", isn't > >>> installation an opensolaris issue numero uno (#1)? > >> General community discussion - proposals for new projects, suggestions > >> for things we should address as a community etc. Most everything > >> *except* installation questions. > > > > I think that I partly disagree with that. Project proposals go in > > requisite community groups. > > And if there isn't one, or people don't know which one is appropriate? Fair enough, but I still think no matter what we do, Newbies will continue to post to osol-discuss. RTFM, is only a partial solution, as in today's world, how many people go to the manual when they install Microsoft Windows? Until the OpenSolaris installation process is as smooth, or smoother than installing MS-Windows, we are going to have to accept that there will be many people asking questions. > > Things that we should do as a community is > > fine, but there are other avenues to reach people (like announce). It > > seems that if we start blowing off people, the problem will get worse, > > as people will be less likely to have their questions get answered, > > and the likelihood of them getting frustrated and going back to > > Linux/MacOS-X will increase. > > You obviously misread what I wrote. Nobody is talking about 'blowing > off people'. I am talking specifically about observed behavior. I have seen many of the "helpful' posts that basically say, "Wrong place, go post on comp.unix.solaris" > > That said, I have made some minor suggestions on website-discuss that > > would relieve some of this, but I was told that we have to wait for a > > complete site redesign. (In particular, I wanted a link to the docs > > community homepage, next to the download icon on the top right of the > > page.) > > There's already a link in the LH sidebar. Yes, with many other links. There is a reason for those big icons at the top of the page. (They draw attention to very important links) > > I would talk to Michelle about incorporating more newbie stuff on the > > docs homepage, and that would neatly resolve some of these issues.. > Then you should start by becoming a member of that community, then you > can make the changes yourself. I am a member of the docs community, and plan to work to incorporate some of the links in this thread in the homepage. (I am a "contributer", not a community leader, so no edit access. Thus, I do most of my work at www.genunix.org/wiki, and then let Michelle know, so that she can link to it.) The main point was that we need to start directing newbies to docs, via the "ICON" at the top of the page. In the mean time, I will work to incorporate the content from this thread within the docs community. > > I feel that www.opensolaris.org's homepage really needs to get a > > complete makeover as a user targeted website. (While still providing a > > link to a developer "homepage") (Maybe have a redirect, dev.osol.org, > > as well) > > Fine, I suggest take this up on website-discuss. I will. > > I know there is a feeling of Solaris is for the elite, but if we want > > OpenSolaris to remain relevant, and leading edge, we need widespread > > adoption, and anything we can do to assist in that, would be helpful. > > (I might even say that marketing should hire someone to answer newbie > > questions full time.) > > I have *no* idea why you think Solaris is for the elite, I certainly don't. I have a strong sense, that many people feel that OpenSolaris.org is for developers not users. Personally, I don't think the newbie questions are the main reason people unsubscribe. I think it is the unfettered fray of an unmoderated list, that is getting on peoples nerves... (To me the most annoying things on -discuss aren't newbie questions, but I stay subscribed, partly because of the newbie questions, and partly because I have an email client that can show a list of threads.) ;) > And I might even say that answering newbie questions is a role that is > 100% suited to the existing community members. Even if we had the > budget, no one person could answer all the questions which were asked. > It's about time the community stopped 'suggesting' and started 'doing' IMHO. Actually the saying is "Stop complaining and start proposing solutions." This person would be a member of the community, just like any other Sun employee that posts here. In my experience dedicating a single person, and no more, is very helpful for this purpose, and while he/she may not be able to answer all the questions, they can shield the devs and workers from all but the most esoteric questions. In addition they will know where to direct someone to get the correct answers, if the question is over their head. (I say no more than one, because the biggest benefit is to be gained by that first person, and costs are contained. In addition, as the community grows, more community members will step up to the plate.) This person could also be the primary maintainer of the FAQ. (Searching through old threads looking for useful entries.) I guess you could call this person the "Newbie/User Relations Czar" Cheers, Brian -- - Brian Gupta http://opensolaris.org/os/project/nycosug/
