>"But I've been seriously thinking about this, what needs > to happen (again IMHO) is an open-source Winhelp-clone system powered by > WordPress, that would be equivalent to my semi-proprietary system see for > instance:
I'd recommend almost anything *but* a "winhelp clone". For me, a platform-specific format (especially Windows) both goes against the spirit of WordPress and is a cumbersome, anachronistic way of doing things. I've developed Windows help since--well, since there was a Windows. I've also created technical documentation for 20 years or so. Tool-wise, the answer is always "what creates something that helps the user be the most successful?" I think the answer can be provided with many tools, including WordPress or a wiki. If I were to pick one thing WordPress users likely want most, it's the ability to search and find clear, specific answers to specific questions. And, if I were to change only one thing about the Codex, for example, I'd add more visuals. -james ::: ::: ::: Today's Topics: ::: ::: 1. Re: WordPress Help Manual on WP Academy (Andrea Rennick) ::: 2. Re: WordPress Help Manual on WP Academy (Lorelle on WordPress) ::: 3. Re: WordPress Help Manual on WP Academy (Marc Beneteau) ::: ::: ::: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ::: ::: Message: 1 ::: Date: Sat, 22 Sep 2012 10:16:42 -0300 ::: From: Andrea Rennick <[email protected]> ::: Subject: Re: [wp-docs] WordPress Help Manual on WP Academy ::: To: WordPress Documentation <[email protected]> ::: Message-ID: ::: <cajzjkbcwvoklzeurv3chqqhut7-mct8zb2rzv0lfl_x+ivf...@mail.gmail.com> ::: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" ::: ::: "what needs to happen (again IMHO) is an open-source Winhelp-clone system ::: powered by WordPress," ::: ::: The user manual I mentioned above is powered by WordPress. ::: ::: I do appreciate your ideas and enthusiasm. Right now, we want to see the ::: user guide pushed out ASAP. Then we can talk about if & when and how to ::: make the actual docs later. ::: ::: a. ::: ::: ::: On Sat, Sep 22, 2012 at 8:57 AM, Marc Beneteau <[email protected]> ::: wrote: ::: -- ::: -- ::: Andrea Rennick, http://wpebooks.com and http://ronandandrea.com ::: Co-author of WordPress All-In-One For Dummies http://rml.me/aio ::: -------------- next part -------------- ::: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... ::: URL: ::: <http://lists.automattic.com/pipermail/wp-docs/attachments/20120922/56a1e683/attachment-0001.htm> ::: ::: ------------------------------ ::: ::: Message: 2 ::: Date: Sat, 22 Sep 2012 16:17:24 -0700 ::: From: Lorelle on WordPress <[email protected]> ::: Subject: Re: [wp-docs] WordPress Help Manual on WP Academy ::: To: WordPress Documentation <[email protected]> ::: Message-ID: ::: <CAN2v4ZROJJiantnx78iDoXA5=6h5phvnfu5jbnwt3pbapyc...@mail.gmail.com> ::: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" ::: ::: WordPress.tv folks can be reached through the WordPress Foundation. ::: ::: Lorelle ::: ::: ::: On Sat, Sep 22, 2012 at 4:57 AM, Marc Beneteau <[email protected]> ::: wrote: ::: :::> Guys, :::> :::> I do appreciate your invitations and believe me, the "gears are :::> turning". :::> The issue for me -- please allow me to speak plainly and if offense is :::> taken I apologize in advance -- is that IMHO Wiki and Media Wiki are :::> not :::> suitable platforms for writing technical documentation, and perhaps one :::> of :::> the reasons why the WordPress documentation is not up to the same :::> quality :::> as WordPress code. But I've been seriously thinking about this, what :::> needs :::> to happen (again IMHO) is an open-source Winhelp-clone system powered by :::> WordPress, that would be equivalent to my semi-proprietary system see :::> for :::> instance: :::> :::> http://wpacademy.tv/about-wordpress-webinar-marathon.htm :::> :::> But would also be multi-authoring (which mine is not). I think its :::> doable, we just need to find coders, I can project-manage perhaps. :::> Lorelle :::> you know some of the people at wordpress.tv., I have an old email of :::> yours that mentions some major documentation effort happening there, can :::> you send me personal mail [email protected] with that information :::> again? Anyone else interested as well, just let me know, this would be :::> WAY cool if we could pull it off. :::> :::> Thanks :::> :::> Marc :::> :::> :::> :::> :::> :::> :::> On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 7:13 PM, Andrea Rennick :::> <[email protected]>wrote: :::> :::>> As noted above, there's two ways you can contribute: :::>> :::>> - jump in to the codex and start writing / editing / correcting :::>> information :::>> :::>> - help with the user manual, which right now is a bunch of HTML pages. :::>> :::>> This may or may not change. there are PLENTY of pages right now we need :::>> people to edit so we can push an official user guide to actual users. :::>> That's way more important to use that what software is used to produce :::>> it :::>> (at this time). :::>> :::>> If you really want to jump in, get working, and earn a name for :::>> yourself, :::>> the user manual is the best place to start. We would honestly love to :::>> have :::>> you contribute. See this page :::>> http://make.wordpress.org/support/user-manual/ for the current work :::>> list :::>> and you can also let me know personally which ones you'd like to start :::>> with. We have a weekly chat in IRC on Thursdays at 5pm Eastern for :::>> discussing specifics. :::>> :::>> :::>> a. :::>> :::>> :::>> On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 5:29 PM, Marc Beneteau :::>> <[email protected]>wrote: :::>> :::>>> mm, sorry for wasting everyone's time, let me take up this :::>>> conversation :::>>> privately. :::>>> :::>>> I am just trying to understand if its possible to have a :::>>> Wiki-compatible :::>>> (multiple-authors) system that does what Winhelp does. Winhelp is the :::>>> documentation format for virtually all commercial software for a :::>>> reason, I :::>>> would love it if we could do something similar for WordPress :::>>> :::>>> Marc :::>>> :::>>> :::>>> :::>>> On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 4:18 PM, Juan Correa :::>>> <[email protected]>wrote: :::>>> :::>>>> On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 5:15 PM, Marc Beneteau :::>>>> <[email protected]>wrote: :::>>>> :::>>>>> Has there been any interest or any discussion in building a :::>>>>> Wordpress :::>>>>> manual on Media Wiki? I could get behind that. :::>>>>> :::>>>> :::>>>> In fact, the WordPress Codex is powered by MediaWiki: :::>>>> http://codex.wordpress.org/Codex:About :::>>>> :::>>>> -- :::>>>> Juan Correa Poblete :::>>>> PS Labs (http://www.pslabs.cl) :::>>>> +56-9-99193873 :::>>>> :::>>>> _______________________________________________ :::>>>> wp-docs mailing list :::>>>> [email protected] :::>>>> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-docs :::>>>> :::>>>> :::>>> :::>>> _______________________________________________ :::>>> wp-docs mailing list :::>>> [email protected] :::>>> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-docs :::>>> :::>>> :::>> :::>> :::>> -- :::>> -- :::>> Andrea Rennick, http://wpebooks.com and http://ronandandrea.com :::>> Co-author of WordPress All-In-One For Dummies http://rml.me/aio :::>> :::>> :::>> _______________________________________________ :::>> wp-docs mailing list :::>> [email protected] :::>> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-docs :::>> :::>> :::> :::> _______________________________________________ :::> wp-docs mailing list :::> [email protected] :::> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-docs :::> :::> ::: -------------- next part -------------- ::: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... ::: URL: ::: <http://lists.automattic.com/pipermail/wp-docs/attachments/20120922/f3660a06/attachment-0001.htm> ::: ::: ------------------------------ ::: ::: Message: 3 ::: Date: Sat, 22 Sep 2012 23:05:30 -0400 ::: From: Marc Beneteau <[email protected]> ::: Subject: Re: [wp-docs] WordPress Help Manual on WP Academy ::: To: WordPress Documentation <[email protected]> ::: Message-ID: ::: <CADZaJgOiBAywoCtko15p+=qnqjn8vg1wcigrgds9fxhiobc...@mail.gmail.com> ::: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" ::: ::: I appreciate everyone's feedback and assistance. At this point I think my ::: best contribution is to develop an open-source documentation platform ::: capable of holding the quality of documentation that I would like to ::: contribute rather than making contributions into a legacy system (ie a ::: system that is not up to par with commercial systems). My aim is to do ::: make something similar to the semi-proprietary system that I have ::: developed ::: http://wpacademy.tv/ww3.htm but in GPL and multi-authoring and based on ::: Wordpress as the master repository (my system uses H&M as master ::: repository). Anyone who wants to join me please write [email protected]. ::: I have also contacted WordPress Foundation as per Lorelle's direction. ::: thanks ::: Marc ::: ::: On Sat, Sep 22, 2012 at 7:17 PM, Lorelle on WordPress < ::: [email protected]> wrote: ::: :::> WordPress.tv folks can be reached through the WordPress Foundation. :::> :::> Lorelle :::> :::> :::> :::> On Sat, Sep 22, 2012 at 4:57 AM, Marc Beneteau :::> <[email protected]>wrote: :::> :::>> Guys, :::>> :::>> I do appreciate your invitations and believe me, the "gears are :::>> turning". The issue for me -- please allow me to speak plainly and if :::>> offense is taken I apologize in advance -- is that IMHO Wiki and Media :::>> Wiki are not suitable platforms for writing technical documentation, :::>> and :::>> perhaps one of the reasons why the WordPress documentation is not up to :::>> the :::>> same quality as WordPress code. But I've been seriously thinking about :::>> this, what needs to happen (again IMHO) is an open-source Winhelp-clone :::>> system powered by WordPress, that would be equivalent to my :::>> semi-proprietary system see for instance: :::>> :::>> http://wpacademy.tv/about-wordpress-webinar-marathon.htm :::>> :::>> But would also be multi-authoring (which mine is not). I think its :::>> doable, we just need to find coders, I can project-manage perhaps. :::>> Lorelle :::>> you know some of the people at wordpress.tv., I have an old email of :::>> yours that mentions some major documentation effort happening there, :::>> can :::>> you send me personal mail [email protected] with that information :::>> again? Anyone else interested as well, just let me know, this would :::>> be :::>> WAY cool if we could pull it off. :::>> :::>> Thanks :::>> :::>> Marc :::>> :::>> :::>> :::>> :::>> :::>> :::>> On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 7:13 PM, Andrea Rennick :::>> <[email protected]>wrote: :::>> :::>>> As noted above, there's two ways you can contribute: :::>>> :::>>> - jump in to the codex and start writing / editing / correcting :::>>> information :::>>> :::>>> - help with the user manual, which right now is a bunch of HTML pages. :::>>> :::>>> This may or may not change. there are PLENTY of pages right now we :::>>> need :::>>> people to edit so we can push an official user guide to actual users. :::>>> That's way more important to use that what software is used to produce :::>>> it :::>>> (at this time). :::>>> :::>>> If you really want to jump in, get working, and earn a name for :::>>> yourself, the user manual is the best place to start. We would :::>>> honestly :::>>> love to have you contribute. See this page :::>>> http://make.wordpress.org/support/user-manual/ for the current work :::>>> list and you can also let me know personally which ones you'd like to :::>>> start :::>>> with. We have a weekly chat in IRC on Thursdays at 5pm Eastern for :::>>> discussing specifics. :::>>> :::>>> :::>>> a. :::>>> :::>>> :::>>> On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 5:29 PM, Marc Beneteau :::>>> <[email protected]>wrote: :::>>> :::>>>> mm, sorry for wasting everyone's time, let me take up this :::>>>> conversation :::>>>> privately. :::>>>> :::>>>> I am just trying to understand if its possible to have a :::>>>> Wiki-compatible (multiple-authors) system that does what Winhelp :::>>>> does. :::>>>> Winhelp is the documentation format for virtually all commercial :::>>>> software :::>>>> for a reason, I would love it if we could do something similar for :::>>>> WordPress :::>>>> :::>>>> Marc :::>>>> :::>>>> :::>>>> :::>>>> On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 4:18 PM, Juan Correa :::>>>> <[email protected]>wrote: :::>>>> :::>>>>> On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 5:15 PM, Marc Beneteau :::>>>>> <[email protected]>wrote: :::>>>>> :::>>>>>> Has there been any interest or any discussion in building a :::>>>>>> Wordpress :::>>>>>> manual on Media Wiki? I could get behind that. :::>>>>>> :::>>>>> :::>>>>> In fact, the WordPress Codex is powered by MediaWiki: :::>>>>> http://codex.wordpress.org/Codex:About :::>>>>> :::>>>>> -- :::>>>>> Juan Correa Poblete :::>>>>> PS Labs (http://www.pslabs.cl) :::>>>>> +56-9-99193873 :::>>>>> :::>>>>> _______________________________________________ :::>>>>> wp-docs mailing list :::>>>>> [email protected] :::>>>>> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-docs :::>>>>> :::>>>>> :::>>>> :::>>>> _______________________________________________ :::>>>> wp-docs mailing list :::>>>> [email protected] :::>>>> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-docs :::>>>> :::>>>> :::>>> :::>>> :::>>> -- :::>>> -- :::>>> Andrea Rennick, http://wpebooks.com and http://ronandandrea.com :::>>> Co-author of WordPress All-In-One For Dummies http://rml.me/aio :::>>> :::>>> :::>>> _______________________________________________ :::>>> wp-docs mailing list :::>>> [email protected] :::>>> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-docs :::>>> :::>>> :::>> :::>> _______________________________________________ :::>> wp-docs mailing list :::>> [email protected] :::>> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-docs :::>> :::>> :::> :::> _______________________________________________ :::> wp-docs mailing list :::> [email protected] :::> http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-docs :::> :::> ::: -------------- next part -------------- ::: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... ::: URL: ::: <http://lists.automattic.com/pipermail/wp-docs/attachments/20120922/dcdb4bd2/attachment.htm> ::: ::: ------------------------------ ::: ::: _______________________________________________ ::: wp-docs mailing list ::: [email protected] ::: http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-docs ::: ::: ::: End of wp-docs Digest, Vol 83, Issue 9 ::: ************************************** ::: _______________________________________________ wp-docs mailing list [email protected] http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-docs
