[wp-docs] WordPress Help Manual on WP Academy (James Gill)

[Mika A Epstein]

Marc, we do understand.

Here's where we are, however.

1) The Wiki is a base level start, anyone can edit, and we have it. We would like to make it as good as we can. You can use most basic HTML in a wiki, and if you need help with uploading images, you can ask us for help :) some of us (hi) happen to be pretty savvy at MediaWiki.

2) Our current attack is on the user manual, over at the make.wordpress.org/support site, and the vast majority of energy is being spent there. I would love to have you help us. It's using WordPess, which I'm sure you know how to use.

After that, sure, we may all want to look into something else, but there is a finite limit to how thin you can stretch a group of volunteers. If you really want to grab this one and run with it, go for it! But know what our current goals are and that you may not, right now, get the traction you want.

Besides, you're forgetting a keystone of Open Source. We move at the speed of passion. If you have a passion, go then! :D No ones stopping you from coming up with that.  We Appreciate your passions and support them, if not always as hands on as you may like.

On Sep 25, 2012, at 7:26 AM, Marc Beneteau <docs at manifesting.net> wrote:

> James, by "Winhelp clone" i mean any system that provides the Winhelp / Javahelp functionality.  This is the way that virtually all professional software is documented and there is a reason for that (which you know about since you work in this area) - 
> 
> - Expanding/collapsing table of content (TOC) in left frame, any depth (helps user understand where they are in the content hierarchy)
> - Search and Index tabs in left frame TOC
> - Hyperlinking to any topic in the main window opens up the left TOC for that topic (again, helps user understand where they are in the content hierarchy and keeps a trail) 
> - Easily add rich content such as images, videos, and toggles (image thumbnails that popup to larger size or else blocks of text that can get expanded)
> 
> I have an idea for doing this via a WordPress theme / plugin combination.  It's a rather exciting idea to me.  Once again if anyone else likes this idea and wants to participate you can email me marc at wpacademy.tv
> 
> To note that the usage or existence of a high-quality documentation platform does not guarantee the generation of high-quality documentation, but in my case, I can certainly say that it helps with motivation.  I personally find it very hard to work in Wiki (images and rich media are particularly cumbersome, with the results that we see) and IMHO this is the main reason that WordPress documentation lags way behind the WordPress code.  I totally agree "find clear specific answers to specific problems", the answer to that problem is Winhelp, and particularly Winhelp in combination with "Tooltip help" or help topics that are linked from each relevant dashboard page (which is the next iteration of this, I think)
> I have to say I am a bit frustrated by lack of understanding / support of this idea in this forum.  Perhaps (for sure), this conversation started on a different topic, and perhaps this is not the right forum for new development suggestions as y'all working really hard to support the current structure.  What I am suggesting is that the current structure is not optimal and that we can do much better. I would argue also that I can speak authoritatevely about this since I make quite a good living providing Wordpress documentation, which I am willing to contribute to Codex (but not within a legacy platform as it would be too much work for me for insufficient result)
> Thanks
> 
> On Sun, Sep 23, 2012 at 1:31 PM, James <james at thinkhuman.com> wrote:
> 
> >"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
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