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Re: [contrib] Improving textpattern.org
Shouldn’t this thread be moved to Contributing or something? Seems out of place in the How do I…
For that matter, this thread could be moved to Contributing as well, also seemingly out of place in General Discussion, considering the evolution of things.
Last edited by Destry (2008-08-21 11:21:26)
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#26 2008-08-21 11:20:32
- stopsatgreen
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- Registered: 2008-07-03
- Posts: 50
Re: [contrib] Improving textpattern.org
Wow, sounds like there’s a lot of interest in getting this sorted. What I’d like to do, if nobody objects, is to put together a simple wireframe of how I think textpattern.org could work; that would at least be a starting point for discussion. I won’t bother with designs or technical implementation just yet, but really concentrate on how it could be easier to use.
It may not be until early next week, but I’m quite keen to do it.
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Re: [contrib] Improving textpattern.org
My word of advice, being I’m a little sensitive to upstarting things without fair input from those most having a thumb on it…discuss with ruud about anything .org. He is the man behind the site.
It’s safe to say that Alicson, bless her heart (she coined “TextBook,” in case you all didn’t know that), is not active enough here to be in the position of authority on the .org site anymore. If it were not for ruud, the site would likely never have gotten the update it did last time. ruud is .org lead.
Mockups are a safe way to start…you don’t do unnecessary coding and you don’t step on toes. They are also a good way for others to see what you have in mind and get your foot in the door. I recommend a mockup before code.
Last edited by Destry (2008-08-21 11:32:19)
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#28 2008-08-21 11:41:31
- stopsatgreen
- Member
- Registered: 2008-07-03
- Posts: 50
Re: [contrib] Improving textpattern.org
Of course, I don’t want to step on any toes. ruud (if you are reading this), would you mind if I put together some wireframes of how I think .org could be improved?
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Re: [contrib] Improving textpattern.org
I stand corrected. Having just visited Alicson’s site, she seems still hands-on with .org, if a bit quiet in the boards. Oops. Nevertheless, I think ruud can still speak for the two.
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Re: [contrib] Improving textpattern.org
I promise I won’t bang on about it any further after this:
Please consider not just the concept but also how it will be realised. Your chances of success are incomparably better if your wireframes use, build on, streamline or otherwise restructure the existing data and system without necessitating a remake from the ground up. You may have a great suggestion but if it is dependent on all authors updating their information, the result may well have more holes in it than it does now. To make that great idea work, it is likely that you have to be prepared to obtain and input the necessary information yourself.
Two other aspects:
- ruud and wet are currently the only two developers pushing forward txp development and they are accordingly our champions! People are similarly clamouring for additions to the core all the time. It is, of course, entirely up to them what they decide to do and what to leave, but it would be a great pity to divert their attention.
- Making the .org just for plugins sound like a good idea. That means, though, that the non-plugin-related information must be put into the wiki before removing it from textpattern.org. Taking them out to be input ‘later’ will be a step backwards.
TXP Builders – finely-crafted code, design and txp
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Re: [contrib] Improving textpattern.org
jakob wrote:
That means, though, that the non-plugin-related information must be put into the wiki before removing it from textpattern.org. Taking them out to be input ‘later’ will be a step backwards.
I too will stop going on here, but we are thinking alike, jakob. I was planning to write a post in the TextBook forum that listed a number of content action items for focus. That would be one, for sure. If anyone has other ideas, please make them known along with my other thoughts when the thread is started.
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#32 2008-08-22 09:47:18
- stopsatgreen
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- Registered: 2008-07-03
- Posts: 50
Re: [contrib] Improving textpattern.org
I have opened up a new thread on this subject in the Contributing board.
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Re: [contrib] Improving textpattern.org
I was planning to write a post in the TextBook forum that listed a number of content action items for focus.
That would be a great idea, Destry! And not just for the TextBook, but in general (wet has already made a good start for txp.com).
Quite a few people have offered to contribute in recent weeks and it’s a pity when that useful energy goes to waste. Often these are from people who are new to txp, and they probably also stand to benefit most from improvements, more than long-standing txp-users who have learnt where to find things and how to do them. The flip side is that necessarily have a limited perspective – they know less about how other people use txp, what’s possible, what’s not, what already exists but they’ve not yet found etc. Motivations are, of course, very different – some ‘just’ want a makeover (of this or that site, of admin area…), but often they are motivated by valid frustrations in getting to grips with existing resources.
Lots suggest “redo”-ing something… thing is, the starting over from scratch method involves most redundancy of effort, quasi ‘devaluing’ the contributions of people like yourself who have worked hard. I’m sure it’s not intentional (just a general internet anonymity phenomenon), but it’s also not surprising that these suggestions often meet with resistance and people then drop out.
A list of content actions / things to improve would be a good idea to ‘channel’ people’s contributions into what needs doing – and perhaps also to prioritise what’s most needed. One should just be careful it doesn’t become a milestone plan – unless, that is, one is willing to be accountable.
@stopsatgreen: good idea to start afresh in a new thread.
TXP Builders – finely-crafted code, design and txp
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Re: [contrib] Improving textpattern.org
I’m way behind, and will try to catch up further, but I think the very first step (as several others have noted) is to carefully move the non-plugins content away from textpattern.org. Personally, I never got comfortable working in wiki software, but I’m thinking that we go through article by article on textpattern.org and hide/delete (by nature, I avoid deleting anything if it’s possible to archive it somewhere. but I’m willing to delete if I’m sure the content is accessible elsewhere) the articles on textpattern.org, one by one, as we go.
Most of the content, I think, is already safe at other locations. So if someone wants to hand me a list of the articles to remove from textpattern.org, I can take care of that; or if someone wants to go through and do it themselves, that’s good too.
Again, I’d hide articles rather than deleting, unless absolutely certain; just because an article is old doesn’t mean it shouldn’t exist at all — just that maybe it should be hidden or buried in an archive for only those who appreciate the reference. E.g. “Password reset in mysql” is still a very popular Google visit, and I still refer to that article as well. There looks to be a brief version of it under FAQ, but would that be accessible under some archive if it no longer applied to the most recent branch of Textpattern?).
Tons else to do, but that’s where it would all have to start anyway.
Who’s got time/inclination toward this end (and who loves writing in wiki software where necessary ;)?
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