Wishlist for user contributions to docs and tutorials

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Mikademus
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Wishlist for user contributions to docs and tutorials

Postby Mikademus » Sun Sep 04, 2011 08:39

After reading this thread I wanted to make something constructive come out of it.

As I see it there (1) are numerous users that would like to contribute something back to CEGUI. (2) There are many who need more or better tutorials and examples. And (3) there are many who don't know what or how to contribute back, especially given simply the vague request "please help us with updating the wiki". In my experience, the more specific requests one makes the more people will actually get on it and faster.

So my suggestion is that we make a wish list for pages and topics that should be made, expanded updated or fixed. A very concrete list with quite specific requests. And post it on a front page, or a stickied top-level thread named "List of things we need help with", "Contributions you can do" or something similar. It could/should be a wiki article too, perhaps on the wiki front page, but it should also be mirrored or at least linked to from the forum, and then from the most prominently visible position possible.

This list should be updated when questions like the one in the above thread comes, or whenever we see the need for some elucidation or improvement on any topic. While it might be understandably difficult for the CEGUI developers and representatives to find the time to write or improve entire articles or the documentation (which is why the call for help has gone out in the first place), it would be very fast to instead simply update the wish list, and it would help would-be contributors toward something concrete to actually help with.

In sum, this is a very simple and low-overhead suggestion that has the change of high return for very low risk. So let's make this list and sticky the thread already! 8)

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Kulik
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Re: Wishlist for user contributions to docs and tutorials

Postby Kulik » Sun Sep 04, 2011 09:09

This is a great idea, I am only wondering where is the best place for such a list, whether in a wiki article or in a stickied forum thread.

Making it easier for people to make small contributions is definitely our goal since practically we only receive larger contributions. And I believe lots of small "polishing" and documenting contributions would go a long way.

Perhaps making a wiki article with a list of these smaller 30-60 minutes tasks and categorising them would be the way to go?

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Mikademus
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Re: Wishlist for user contributions to docs and tutorials

Postby Mikademus » Sun Sep 04, 2011 21:38

Kulik wrote:This is a great idea, I am only wondering where is the best place for such a list, whether in a wiki article or in a stickied forum thread. ... Perhaps making a wiki article with a list of these smaller 30-60 minutes tasks and categorising them would be the way to go?


I think so too: a wiki page with the master request list sounds right. And I also think a top-level stickie with the plea, a link to the request page, and perhaps even a few selected items is necessary to maximise exposure and attention. We want as many people as possible to see this and only a wiki article would risk having people miss it altogether, especially since quite a few fails to find the wiki in the first place.

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Kulik
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Re: Wishlist for user contributions to docs and tutorials

Postby Kulik » Mon Sep 05, 2011 21:38

Cool.

I am pretty occupied right now. If you make such pages and such a topic, I will sticky them as time permits.

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Re: Wishlist for user contributions to docs and tutorials

Postby Jamarr » Tue Sep 06, 2011 17:36

There are already quite a few lists on the wiki with pages that need love. The problem of course is that these lists are pretty obscure for non-wiki regulars. If these could be compiled into one big list / page and given more notice on the wiki and forums it may go a long way towards addressing them.

SpecialPages has several auto-lists, most notably: Maintenance_Reports. And Categories also has several lists, most note worthy: Update_requested, WIP, and Obsolete.
If somebody helps you by replying to your thread, upvote him/her as a thanks! Make sure to include your CEGUI.log and everything you tried when posting! And remember that we are not magicians!

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Mikademus
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Re: Wishlist for user contributions to docs and tutorials

Postby Mikademus » Wed Sep 07, 2011 16:32

I have made a stub forum post here.
It links to the new stub wiki page here.

The forum post has my suggestion for the appeal text, please feel free to edit or change to your heart's desire :) It also needs to be populated with a few selected items for people to help with.

The wiki page is likewise a stub with an appeals paragraph and a placeholder list. The article should be linked to prominently from the wiki main page and the list should be populated with items that we can think of and from the other pages Jamarr linked to. I will add things, but I think it would be for the better that you who are more experienced with CEGUI and what needs to be done help with that to organise and structure and prioritise.

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Kulik
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Re: Wishlist for user contributions to docs and tutorials

Postby Kulik » Wed Sep 07, 2011 17:57

I have made that post an announcement and I have edited the wiki page to automatically list the articles that need updating.

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Mikademus
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Re: Wishlist for user contributions to docs and tutorials

Postby Mikademus » Wed Sep 07, 2011 18:42

I pulled four links that seemed... eh... timely from the wiki page and added to the appeal post.

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Re: Wishlist for user contributions to docs and tutorials

Postby Jamarr » Fri Sep 09, 2011 20:36

Can we increase the visibility of the contributions wiki page by adding links to this page on the main wiki page? perhaps on the left-nav under community?

On a side note I feel like the wiki search-box should be at the top of the nav bar...you know how troublesome it is to get users to search before posting as is...
If somebody helps you by replying to your thread, upvote him/her as a thanks! Make sure to include your CEGUI.log and everything you tried when posting! And remember that we are not magicians!

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Mikademus
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Re: Wishlist for user contributions to docs and tutorials

Postby Mikademus » Sun Sep 11, 2011 09:10

Either that, or have a special and noticeable link to the contribution/wishlist article prominently on the main page. Apparently one needs special access privileges to edit the main page, though, so you will have to do it.

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Re: Wishlist for user contributions to docs and tutorials

Postby Kulik » Sun Sep 11, 2011 10:25

Mikademus wrote:Either that, or have a special and noticeable link to the contribution/wishlist article prominently on the main page. Apparently one needs special access privileges to edit the main page, though, so you will have to do it.


I have given you administrator rights on the wiki (and Jamarr as well).

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Mikademus
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Re: Wishlist for user contributions to docs and tutorials

Postby Mikademus » Tue Sep 13, 2011 12:29

I've exercised my new, considerable powers and made a slight edit to the front page! Ph3ar and tremble, mortals! :)


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