Sounds great! Do you have any plans for other languages? On Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 3:47 AM, Lorelle on WordPress <[email protected]> wrote: > > Some of you may have heard Matt Mullenweg's announcement at WordCamp Las > Vegas of the WordPress Handbook, a free online manual for WordPress users. I > chatted with him about the future of WordPress documentation, the WordPress > Codex, and this new handbook. > > First, the WordPress Handbook is NOT a replacement for the Codex. The > handbook will be the essence of a basic manual for using WordPress. The Codex > may actually expand to cover everything outside of the core essentials for > using WordPress. For now, it will continue to be the source of information > for developers and core functions. > > The WordPress Handbook will begin with a very basic "How to Use WordPress" > core that guides the user through installation, upgrades, and basic user > functions like how to write a post, upload images, embed multimedia, install > Plugins and Themes, and the core functionality of using WordPress. Much of it > will use Codex content regarding those tasks and the WordPress Administration > Panels. > > A "design and customization" version will include tips on choosing a > WordPress Theme and Plugin, installing, customizing and tweaking. > > A developer version will follow to help Theme and Plugin authors and third > party apps to hook into WordPress to add features and functionality. > > The WordPress Handbooks will not be in wiki form. They will be created using > Subversion. An example is the http://svnbook.red-bean.com/ Version Control > with Subversion by Ben Collins-Sussman, Brian W. Fitzpatrick, C. Michael > Pilato. > > The handbook will be in XML form tied to Subversion (SVN), allowing easy > updating for version specific issues within the documentation, linking to the > online handbook directly from WordPress based upon version, branching into > version specific guides. It will also include options for HTML and PDF > versions, and the ability to submit patches and updates just as is currently > being done with WordPress and many other programs. The idea is to keep the > handbook updated and current with the latest version of WordPress, as well as > past versions, while continuing to allow community participation and > "proofing" for checks and balances in the documentation. > > The WordPress Handbook will continue to follow in the footsteps of its > predecessors as an open source project under the GPL. Some staff may be hired > or given responsibility to implement and oversee the project, but it will be > community driven, allowing anyone to submit changes and additions through the > Subversion repository. > > Matt is working on the fundamental programming and process for which to start > integrating appropriate Codex and original WordPress 2.7 specific content > into the handbook. We'll be calling upon the WordPress Codex documentation > team to help us update and choose what information "must" be in the > handbooks, as well as updating the Codex. Calls will be put out to the > WordPress Community for recommendations on content and topics as well, > letting their needs guide the final choices. > > The handbooks must service basic beginners to intermediate users, which means > the Codex may become the historical repository and technical guide beyond the > handbook. The writing style will be different from the Codex in keeping with > a basic manual rather than a guide. > > The Handbook will be a major shift for those used to the Codex and Mediawiki > who wish to contribute, especially for those with no experience with > Subversion. We'll be writing up guidelines and tips for submitting content > and patches, as well as a style guide, on the Codex. > > Here are some links to help you familiarize yourself with how Subversion, and > the example of the free online Subversion book, works: > > http://svnbook.red-bean.com/ Version Control with Subversion by Ben > Collins-Sussman, Brian W. Fitzpatrick, C. Michael Pilato > http://www.open.collab.net/community/subversion/svnbook/ - Open Collab.net > version of the SVN book > http://www.open.collab.net/community/subversion/svnbook/svn.preface.organization.html > Open Collab.net version of the organizational structure of the SVN book and > how to use Subversion > http://code.google.com/p/svnbook/issues/list > http://svn.red-bean.com/svnbook/trunk/ > http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596004484/ - the printed book > http://subversion.tigris.org/faq.html - using subversion > http://osdir.com/ml/version-control.subversion.book/ - mailing list for the > Version Control Subversion book > > If you have any links on the step-by-step process of using Subversion as a > manual or book, please let us know. > > Again, this is not the end of the WordPress Codex. This is an exciting shift > for WordPress documentation. This is the start of a conversation about where > the Codex is going, and what key content should be in the handbook. We'll > have information on the technical process soon. > > For now, we need to start work updating the Codex for WordPress 2.7, > including adding new screenshots, screencasts, incorporating the technical, > how-to videos from WordPress.tv, creating our own short, technical videos, > and continuing the tremendous work of so many volunteers within the WordPress > Community to offer technical and reference material to WordPress users. > > Lorelle VanFossen > Twitter: lorelleonwp > Email: lorelleonwordpress at gmail.com > > _______________________________________________ > wp-docs mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-docs >
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