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#37 2004-12-16 16:28:07

Destry
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From: Haut-Rhin
Registered: 2004-08-04
Posts: 4,909
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Re: [wiki] User Manual

Remillard: Yeah, I noticed yesterday the wiki was pretty slow to turn over after I made a small edit to notes or something. And yeah, I think the textpattern.net domain as Dean proffered would be more logical, semantically speaking.

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#38 2004-12-16 16:31:07

Destry
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From: Haut-Rhin
Registered: 2004-08-04
Posts: 4,909
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Re: [wiki] User Manual

Since I can’t seem to enter a larger-like post, I’ll try and add things in coherent sections, this one on <em>TextBook</em> structure, one on wiki thoughts, and one more on presentation.

<strong>Comments on <em>TextBook</em> Structure:</strong>
There’s been dialogue in this thread and in the current <em><a href=“http://textpattern.net/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page”>TextBook</a></em> manual development wiki that the proposed structure of the manual needs filling out; putting more advanced topics near the end, and keeping the first several chapters focused as the new users area. Dandy, but I especially feel that the new users are the primary focus here, so those chapters should be fleshed-out first (see my user page in the wiki about my <a href=“http://textpattern.net/wiki/index.php?title=User:Destry”>motivation and contributions</a>); though where current resources already exist for advanced topics, we should certainly edit them in.

I recall that I had seen another thread somewhere in which another structure had been worked on with community feedback. It might be good to look at that one and use it to build on here. Problem is, I’m having a devil of a time finding it. It’s not critical, but it might be helpful…anyone no what I’m talking about? Can you make that thread known, please?

EDIT: (Well, so far so good on adding the section posts.)

Last edited by Destry (2004-12-20 17:59:43)

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#39 2004-12-16 16:41:27

Destry
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From: Haut-Rhin
Registered: 2004-08-04
Posts: 4,909
Website

Re: [wiki] User Manual

<strong>Comments on <em>TextBook</em> Development Wiki:</strong>

Suggestions are requested about how to first oganize the wiki so it’s not inhibiting anyone’s basic productivity. The fewer auxilary pages the better. Maybe all that needs to be there is the manual TOC right on the first page, a help directory (a single page of topics), the “user” pages, which I think might be good for contributors to talk about what they are willing/capable of contributing, and of course the content component pages as they are added/linked from the TOC. Strip out all the other MediaWiki crud (if possible) so it’s not distracting. These are just ideas; the point is to make it as user-friendly as possible, however much we can do so.

<strong>Comments on <em>TextBook</em> Presentation:</strong>
It would be cool to start getting input on a style guide that will result in a couple of sharp and tight CSS files for the manual, one for web display and one for print display. The style guide would be important to have done <strong>before</strong> the CSS files, obviously, so there’s a clear roadmap about how to write the CSS rules. As mentioned in the write-up (this thread’s head post), the only requirement would be a look and feel that represents Textpattern’s current branding. Otherwise, nothing but CSS fun. Maybe start by offering suggestions about layout, fonts, colors, etc. A <em>TextBook Style Guide</em> should probalby be started in the wiki to better see how it’s filling out and for reference.

One note on the presentation stuff though…Remillard has indicated that MediaWiki is a bit complex as far as the styling aspect goes, and the files themselves are pretty buried and locked-down, so the details are still unclear about whether or not the wiki is styled or some other platform. Maybe the answer is to simply use the wicki for getting the meat and potatos of the manual in place (content only), and then move the refined content components into a TxP install somewhere that is dedicated strictly to the <em>TextBook</em> manual (which I think was an idea of Alicson’s). Seems it would be much easier to organize and style a TxP install than a wiki. Dean has suggested <em>textpattern.net</em>, so maybe that would be the place for it too. Thoughts?

Last edited by Destry (2004-12-16 17:28:32)

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#40 2004-12-16 23:31:06

alicson
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Registered: 2004-05-26
Posts: 465
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Re: [wiki] User Manual

i’m still for the idea of using mediawiki (whatever works best for collaboration) for development, and then putting the polished (could be further polished and updated forever afterward) version together on a Textpatterned site.

i do think there’s a very good way to have the existing and pending articles on the Resources site (having to do with plugins, mods, tips, and other more advanced Textpattern-things) be cooperative with the TextBook.. but i’m not sure quite how to nicely achieve that with separate databases (someone else may think of a way). that would be more for the intermediate and advanced topics anyway, so perhaps it’s not something to be thinking about at this point..

my biggest immediate thought? i’d like to hear the various, however brief, comments and thoughts of other Textpatterners; those who might be perusing this thread and may or may not be interested in the subject… whether or not they’re interested, i’d like to hear why/what their observations are thus far.

is the next step to figure a style guide then? well… offhandedly, i’d suggest focusing on building the actual content and fleshing out the existing outline and seeing how things really start shaping with that.. the style may be better figured when the material is more developed.

what were you guys thinking as next steps? — but let’s not focus too much on the methods and processions of development, such that we aren’t concentrating on building the actual project at hand. *edit: not by any means was this meant as chiding; was mostly thinking to myself about projects in general and how many of them go. this one, particularly after a quick glance at the wiki just now, is quite definitely moving. :)

see you guys in the wiki soon

Last edited by alicson (2004-12-16 23:35:11)


textpattern.org :: find and share Textpattern resources
docs.textpattern.io :: Textpattern user documentation

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#41 2004-12-17 00:07:47

Destry
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From: Haut-Rhin
Registered: 2004-08-04
Posts: 4,909
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Re: [wiki] User Manual

<em>Alicson wrote:
<blockquote><strong>“my biggest immediate thought? iâ

Last edited by Destry (2004-12-17 00:19:00)

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#42 2004-12-17 01:00:32

hakjoon
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From: Arlington, VA
Registered: 2004-07-29
Posts: 1,634
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Re: [wiki] User Manual

The wiki does seem to be progressing pretty well. I’ve been swamped at work with beat testing so I have had little time to really look at it but I see some nice entries in there and I like the overall structure.

It does take some getting used to the wiki concepts. I have to agree with Remillard that Textile would be very welcome. I also think it would be great to have this live in a TXP powered site but I can’t think of any way to do the sort of collaborative development that the wiki opens up Maybe it could be a joint documentation model kind of like what Wordpress does. The docs could be fleshed out in the wiki and at a certain level of completion versions of the manual would get rolled out as the release document.


Shoving is the answer – pusher robot

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#43 2004-12-17 02:28:06

Destry
Member
From: Haut-Rhin
Registered: 2004-08-04
Posts: 4,909
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Re: [wiki] User Manual

hakjoon,

You’re more or less on the same line of thinking as what few others have bothered to voice…develop the content in the wiki to a fairly refined point, then port it over to a TxP install where it can be all fancied-up with CSS in a nice TxP-branded fashion.

But it’s early, who knows what evil lurks.

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#44 2004-12-17 08:54:00

Dean
Founder (Gone, but not forgotten)
From: Languedoc
Registered: 2004-02-14
Posts: 235
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Re: [wiki] User Manual

> Remillard wrote:

> Oh, as far as where the MediaWiki is stashed, there’s really not much that’s on the current one that can’t be duplicated. If it moves, now would be a very good time :). Textpattern.net seems like a good name though somehow ;-).

Okay, I’ve set up textpattern.net on one of our sandbox servers at Textdrive, and sent the login coordinates to Remillard (let me know if you need any help moving over tarballs or mysqldumps).

I like the way this is coming together.


text*

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#45 2004-12-18 04:32:50

Remillard
Plugin Author
From: Lenexa, KS
Registered: 2004-05-16
Posts: 169

Re: [wiki] User Manual

Good evening (or early morning or whatever wherever you are).

The TextBook wiki has been successfully moved to its new home.

The address is: http://textpattern.net/wiki/

So get your thinking caps on, limber up those typing fingers and get ready.

Lay on!

Regards,
Remillard

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#46 2004-12-18 10:21:39

Destry
Member
From: Haut-Rhin
Registered: 2004-08-04
Posts: 4,909
Website

Re: [wiki] User Manual

Thanks for the space, Dean.
Thanks for making it work, Remillard.

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#47 2004-12-18 14:35:43

alicson
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Registered: 2004-05-26
Posts: 465
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Re: [wiki] User Manual

coolio :)


textpattern.org :: find and share Textpattern resources
docs.textpattern.io :: Textpattern user documentation

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#48 2004-12-19 01:34:34

jdueck
Plugin Author
From: Minneapolis, MN
Registered: 2004-02-27
Posts: 147
Website

Re: [wiki] User Manual

Hello all! I don’t have a lot of time just now, but would appreciate some email if there’s any interest in using material from my Textpattern Semantics article. I have a login on the site, but not much experience in using a wiki.

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