On Oct 26, 2012, at 2:06 PM, Louis Suárez-Potts wrote: > Hi > Every now and then a user finds the experience of downloading, installing, > using AOO disappointing and frankly frustrating if not worse. They will > usually go to the user forums, but sometimes they will contact the Apache > Foundation directly. Okay, but this does not really help them. > > What we did with OpenOffice was set up a Support page, which has since been > moved to here, http://www.openoffice.org/support/. It's pretty much an > improved version of the old but of course the "ecosystem" needs further > fleshing out—it suffers from a lack of substantial existence. > > I'm also not persuaded that the route to it from either the application > download page or homepage or wherever is redundantly clear enough for the > befuddled enduser who installs AOO to replace his or her whatever suite and > doesn't really know where to go….. > > So, my query is the usual impossible question: What can we do to make it > clearer to the puzzled and frustrated how to get help? Sure, we can have a > knowledge base (kb), FAQ, etc., and also enthusiastic community members. > > But what would you suggest as a path, or paths for the user? I personally > would include something in the installation sets that point to the support > page above; but also banners, say, or tags, stickers—glaringly obvious neon > coloured blinking lights?—to relay users to useful pages. > > Ideas?
We could emulate a version of what the ASF does to highlight the many projects. Take a look at www.apache.org - you will see a feature project section. Perhaps on www.openoffice.org we can add a "Featured Support Question / Language / News". This would be backed by an xml file of FAQs, Languages and News which would randomly be selected every day and republished to the front page. Regards, Dave > > Thanks > Louis >
