Rahul,
I agree with your statement about the manual. It is just a bit
frustrating answering the same question over and over again. This
alias dose not seem to have this problem. I think that it is because
of the work that has gone into the manual and the wiki.
I was reading your first email again and in the section where you ask
about a web submission for help. One reason is that we agreed that
the email forum should NOT be anonymous and an email submission form
is easily fooled by most.
As for a web based view of the alias have you checked out
http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
Nathan
On Jun 24, 2005, at 9:07 AM, Rahul Singh ( Anant ) wrote:
Nathan,
If the site had it correct, then there wouldn't be an issue of
confused users. "Read the F#$# Manual" is the wrong attitude even if
you are dealing with developers.
The point is that NO one has it correct, especially with open source
solutions. Rainbow developers claimed they had it correct with Forums
and Confluence. However, when a yahoogroup was started.. it seemed
that people tended to gravitate towards it because it "worked"
I don't think anyone can say "this is the right way" simply because
usability is a gray area which people do lots and lots of research on.
(I don't like Nielsen, but he did do a good job with the SUN site..
and he is ONE expert, which others disagree with)
The way you get a approximation of correctness is if you look at the
users's goals and try to cater to them rather than pushing them what
"we" think is right. (See Inmates are running the Asylum by Alan
Cooper)
Rahul
On 6/24/05, Nathan Maves <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Rahul,
Like many other open source solutions that I use, this site has it
correct. They ask new users to search for their problem in both the
Wiki and the mail archives. Of course it would be nice it they read
the manual first. If they can not find a solution they are more then
welcome to ask it on the alias.
Most of the support people only have time to respond to email. If we
find that it is a common problem and we have a solution we will post
it to the Wiki.
Nathan
On Jun 24, 2005, at 7:36 AM, Rahul Singh ( Anant ) wrote:
Larry,
Most people who are using the wiki probably don't use the
Mailinglist
because it is a source of support. Why not just create a simple page
which would let people ask questions from the web, and an email
would
be sent to the lists.
People need to be either told the purposes of the different support
mechanisms ( for different types of people ) or a better systems
should be used altogether.
I have been using Yahoogroups to manage groups for ASP.NET and
Rainbow
Portal. Users have a nice web based view of the questions/answers
and
they don't complain.
I think what needs to be done is a simpler support page.
Instead of showing multiple options on the front page, why not
make a
page just for support. (http://ibatis.apache.org/help.html) would be
an excellent place to have this. Currently it has all the right
information in exactly the wrong places.
People are going to use the tools the way THEY think they should.
Unless the site pushes them to do it another way, they will continue
to post questions on the WIKI.
Rahul
On 6/24/05, Larry Meadors <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Please, please, please do NOT post support questions on the WIKI
unless you are adding them to the FAQ *WITH AN ANSWER*.
The WIKI is NOT a support forum.
Any unanswered questions on the WIKI will be deleted.
Larry
--
Rahul Singh
CEO, Anant
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
--
Rahul Singh
CEO, Anant
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
