[Opensim-dev] Navigating the Wiki
Mark Malewski
mark.malewski at gmail.com
Wed May 20 12:33:28 UTC 2009
Colin/Rock,
I am still working on adding 2 additional navigation links, and I'm still
working on updating navigation links on pages throughout the WIKI as well.
Please just be patient, and it's a constant work in progress. As
developers make changes, we just need to be made aware of those changes, so
that we can work on updating the WIKI pages, and updating the WIKI links, so
that users can find the useful information that they need.
That also brings me to the next question, who has "Global Admin" or "System
Admin" permissions on the WIKI pages? I can't seem to edit the WIKI
Navigation Sidebar, it seems to be locked and I don't have Global Admin on
the WIKI. So whoever has Global Admin permissions on the wiki, could you
please contact me off-list, I just need to add 2 links to the navigation
Sidebar [ MediaWiki:sidebar ].
Whoever has "Global Admin" privileges, please just add the following code
snippet and post it under the "Using OpenSim" heading, or please just give
me sufficient permissions so that I can add the following text to the
Navigation sidebar [MediaWiki:sidebar]:
Thank-you,
Mark
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
******************* Begin Code Snippet *****************************
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Using OpenSim
** mainpage|mainpage
** Status|Status Page
** News|News
** Screenshots|Screenshots
** Connecting|Connecting
** Grid List|Grid List
** http://opensimulator.org/mantis|Report a Bug
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
********************* End Code Snippet *****************************
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I completely understand Colin's point...
> Information is not much use if people cannot find it.<http://opensimulator.org/wiki/News>
I completely agree about the WIKI page content, but please keep in mind that
the developers are EXTREMELY busy with writing code. If they create a new
WIKI page and post it to the Message list (or do any form of documentation
at all), that is wonderful. At least you have something recent and updated
to read and reference that helps describe the problem, and the fix. I have
added links to the new WIKI page from the NEWS page.
Please understand that these recent changes are extremely new, and these new
updated pages are just being created as we speak, and yes many of the new
links still need to be updated. I have been combing through the pages, and
adding new navigation links. I have also posted links to the new
information here at the main "News" page:
http://opensimulator.org/wiki/News
Thanks,
Mark
P.S. We do try to keep up with documentation the best that we possibly can,
but keep in mind that the developers are constantly developing, and it's
very easy for us to fall behind in updating the WIKI and all the
documentation (and keeping the documentation current). Your criticisms have
been "duely noted", and I've posted linkbacks, and I'm working on updating
all the navigation for the WIKI pages to make it a bit more "user friendly"
for new users.
> highlights another problem. Information is not much use if people cannot
find it.
Don't shoot the messenger. I've already updated many of the WIKI pages (and
I have added some new navigation links). New OS information is constantly
being put out, and all we can do is try to keep up with updating the WIKI
pages and pushing the latest information/content out there to the OS
community, but please keep in mind that we are all VOLUNTEERS and updating
the WIKI pages (and tutorial pages) is never-ending work. ;-)
If the developers do something new, and it's not properly documented (or we
are not made aware of the newly created pages) then it's hard for us to
create the new links, or update navigation links to the new pages. I have
created a new "Status" page, and I'm working on updating the "Latest News"
page. If someone with Global Admin can please just add that code snippet
above to the WikiSidebar menu (or give my user account "mark.malewski"
permission to do it), that would be great. Thank-you.
> It is clear from the feedback in the #opensim channel that people are NOT
finding this info.
Some of the info is documented, but much of it is NOT. Code is constantly
being written and WIKI content is constantly being created, and for every
new feature that is added or changed, a new WIKI page is either updated or
created with new navigation links that need to be added and updated. It
takes time, and it's not something that happens instantly. The WIKI is a
constant "work in progress". We do try to keep the documentation as current
and up to date as possible, but it takes much longer to write all the
documentation than it does to write the code. ;-)
So we're constantly lagging behind the developers. If you have a question,
or concern please contact me off-list, and I'll try to answer it. I'll
either point you to a WIKI page, or I'll usually take the time to add a new
page, and/or work on adding the proper navigation links. My "To Do List" is
several pages long, and it's growing by the minute, but yes we are working
on it. Also keep in mind, that we can only document things that we know
about, so that's why we sometimes get on the developers to keep us
informed/updated, so that we can work on trying to keep all the
documentation as up to date as possible.
As you can see, it's 7:17am, and in just the 2 hours since you made your
last post, I believe I have updated most of the WIKI pages that you were
referencing, or talking about. If you have any additional concerns,
questions, or complaints please contact me off-list, and I'll point you to
the proper WIKI page, or try to help you get/find the information that you
need, and/or create a new document that will at least help you with whatever
issue you are facing. Thank-you.
Just keep in mind that documentation is extremely time consuming and it
always LAGS behind development.
We try to offer good technical support, and friendly customer service, but
keep in mind that we are all volunteers. ;-)
Mark
On Wed, May 20, 2009 at 5:21 AM, Colin B. Withers <
Colin.Withers at eumetsat.int> wrote:
> The recent thread on 'breaking OpenSim.ini changes', and on the
> importance of brief notes to keep people aware of who is doing what, and the
> pertinent link that was provided in that discussion,
> http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Services_and_Service_Connectors_Configurationhighlights another problem. Information is not much use if people cannot
> find it.
>
>
>
> It is clear from the feedback in the #opensim channel that people are NOT
> finding this info. I use the wiki often and still have problems finding
> info, I only found this link by being in this mailing list also.
>
>
>
> Can anyone tell me how someone arriving at the wiki Home page could
> intuitively navigate to the above wiki page? I tried various keyword
> searches, all of which failed to find the page, but again, you would need to
> know what keywords the writer used, and what the underlying problem was.
>
>
>
> If you downloaded the latest trunk, and you found serious problems, and
> went to the wiki page, where would any early adopter look first to find out
> what might be the cause? The Home page? Support page? News? Downloads?
> Developer's Docs? I tried all them and could not find one word.
>
>
>
> Navigating the wiki to find info should be much more intuitive, and a link
> all important new info should be on either the Home page or the News page,
> IMO.
>
>
>
> Rock
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Opensim-dev mailing list
> Opensim-dev at lists.berlios.de
> https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/opensim-dev
>
>
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