OK, update on this...a contact us page is now available at: http://www.openoffice.org/contact_us.html
It is VERY simple and I did what I could for incorporating the use of our existing Bug gateway (which I also made changes to in an attempt to cover the existing Bugzilla categories. As with all of the ooo-site, anyone with comitter rights can make changes. Dave, please incorporate into the footer if you're doing seem editing on that as you see fit. Having a link next to the Copyright and Licenses seems fine though that is followed by a paragraph specifically related to that. My preference would be to have "Contact Us" centered immediately below the footer line if possible. Have fun! On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 9:12 AM, Kay Schenk <[email protected]> wrote: > > > On Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 1:48 PM, Louis Suárez-Potts < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi >> >> >> >> On 10 February 2012 18:52, Kay Schenk <[email protected]> wrote: >> > On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 12:30 PM, Dennis E. Hamilton < >> > [email protected]> wrote: >> > >> >> I agree with Kay that one reason someone may want to contact us is >> because >> >> there is a problem with the web site itself. I also think that going >> >> directly to the mailing list page is perhaps too abrupt. Some free >> >> analysis from the top of orcmid's head: >> >> >> > >> > yes, really, this was my intention -- but I think Rob's calrification >> would >> > work for that. I started wondering about this in light of the recent >> > communication re that bad link. How long did it take Rick to figure out >> who >> > to contact, etc. (I also know we need to get going with some reasonable >> > analysis tool to tract these down *beforehand* if we can) . I didn't >> mean >> > for this to be a "user centric" catchall. >> > >> > I can certainly understand the value of a User centric FAQ in this >> regard. >> > And we may even have one! >> > >> > >> >> For issues about the site(s) itself, I think a bottom-of-page link is >> >> fine. It might go to another web page that refines the contact based >> on >> >> particular cases (two that should always be prominent and >> straightforward >> >> are for the site and for anything to do with security concerns -- but >> not >> >> directly to ooo-security.). >> >> >> >> With user issues, taking people directly to bugzilla is effectively a >> >> giant FU for ordinary users. A bullet item that links to how to file >> a bug >> >> and also links directly to bugzilla is good, so experts don't have to >> do >> >> the drill-down. (Might need a branch for those needing a bugzilla >> account >> >> too.) [Something like this might help refine the security case as >> well.] >> >> >> > >> > I think you're right on this one. BZ is too daunting jut to report a >> link >> > problem unless we can implement a nicer front end to BZ just for these >> > cases. I will be happy to investigate this. We may even be able to do a >> > "proxy login" of some sort. >> > >> > >> >> Then I think there can be explanation that all other support is peer >> >> support from other users and developer volunteers, with some indication >> >> about the options (wiki, forums, web site, mailing-list subscriptions, >> and >> >> bugzilla) and how to search/explore/choose among them. This would >> probably >> >> be right after something about web site issues and security concerns. >> >> >> >> Third tier on some of these might be FAQ that provide more detail and >> help >> >> users address common concerns. (I.e., what to do when an AV product >> says >> >> their download is infected, what the project does to ensure the >> integrity >> >> of binaries and how to find those to be confident in them, how to check >> >> their authenticity, etc. That's been going around lately.) >> >> >> >> Finally, of course, there is always the welcoming of those who might >> want >> >> to themselves contribute to an aspect that is a concern or interest for >> >> them. >> >> >> > >> > yes... :) I hope this is reasonably covered in the revisions to the >> "Help >> > Wanted" page I made, but, of course, it's an ongoing process. >> > >> > >> >> >> >> I suppose I should put myself in this last category, although I am not >> >> prepared to figure out how to work on such a page [set]. Sorry. >> >> >> >> - Dennis >> >> >> > >> > Thanks for the feedback from everyone, I will investigate options >> further. >> > >> > >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> >> From: Kay Schenk [mailto:[email protected]] >> >> Sent: Friday, February 10, 2012 09:43 >> >> To: [email protected] >> >> Subject: Re: [WWW] Feedback/"contact us" about the website link >> needed... >> >> >> >> On Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 4:46 PM, Rob Weir <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> >> [ ... ] >> >> > Another way to think of it: 99.99% of the time, if a user actually >> >> > needs to contact us, then the website has failed its purpose. We can >> >> > only handle 100 million users if, for the vast majority of cases, >> they >> >> > can self-support themselves via the website's navigation and find >> what >> >> > they want. So the challenge here is to handle the exceptional 0.01% >> >> > of cases, without becoming the path of least resistance for the other >> >> > 99.99%. >> >> > >> >> > -Rob >> >> > >> >> >> >> Rob-- >> >> >> >> I understand what you're saying, believe me. I guess I feel we should >> >> provide an easier avenue for people to report problems with the site >> >> itself. I'm also aware that if I just put in a simple link with a >> "mailto" >> >> tag, many folks won't be able to deal with that because they won't >> have a >> >> "default" e-mail client. >> >> >> >> How about a "Contact Us" link that directs them to our existing >> "Mailing >> >> List" page -- >> >> http://incubator.apache.org/openofficeorg/mailing-lists.html. >> >> We could add a bit more description to the "Development Mailing List" >> to >> >> indicate that it would be used for submitting questions/problems about >> the >> >> web site. >> >> >> >> Or do you think it would be best to direct them to BZ? >> >> Briefly: the Contact Us link usually went to me, in OOo. The traffic >> can be high or low; low if one does it right, and routes people >> appropriately. Basic rules apply: you don't answer "how-to" questions, >> unless you are a masochist. You answer the other, much fewer in >> number, questions. >> > > Hi Louis-- and thanks for this response. For now, I was going to set this > up as a "portal" for dealing with web site issues ONLY -- the link will be > called "Report Problems with the Web Site", taking users to an landing page > that will initially search for all "issues" in BZ related to the web site, > so the user can see what's already been reported, and optionally, add to an > existing issue or create a new one. > > But...it might be a good idea to also include some mention of the > "Support" page on this intermediate BZ landing/search page. This should > take care of a great portion of the support issues. Good suggestion! > > > > >> I volunteer to continue in the role I've grown mossy over. >> > > Thanks. I'm just going to set this up for BZ as previously suggested. > > >> I also think that IFF we are intending to replicate some of the >> friendly to endusers approach of the old OOo, then we would do well to >> emulate some of the pages we had: >> >> * FAQ on simple things, like where to go with issues *using* OOo and >> also *building* and "developing* it. We already have much of that, so >> this would just be links. >> >> * Support page: I think the old support page can simply, as is already >> being done, be updated and pruned. (Drew is on this, I believe?) >> >> * License and trademark issues: this was the more difficult one and >> merits for attention, at least for the more difficult questions. >> Others are routine, and we've discussed this already here. >> >> Further along these lines: Even if we are not plunging into minimally >> addressing users (and I think we ought not to shift our shape so to >> max unless we actually want to), we will be dealing with the >> media--professional as well as "citizen" journalists. Having, as we >> had before, a "press kit," done in accordance with Apache, will help >> both us and any member of the fourth estate. >> >> Louis >> > > > > -- > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > MzK > > "Follow your bliss." > -- attributed to Joseph Campbell > > > > -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MzK "Follow your bliss." -- attributed to Joseph Campbell
