kdereview

[Lauri Watts]

On Sunday 22 May 2005 15.43, Matt Rogers wrote:
> On Sunday 22 May 2005 09:05 am, Anne-Marie Mahfouf wrote:

> > I just would like to say that any app in kdereview should have a complete
> > handbook covering all features of the application as well as QWhatsThis
> > help. Maybe a usability feedback as well?
>
> sorry, you're never going to get this and it shouldn't be a requirement for
> inclusion. Yes, it's a good thing, but let's face it, we can't count on it
> ever happening.

I think requiring a completed handbook is asking too much, considering half of 
KDE doesn't have one.

I don't think requiring a basic user handbook is too much to ask though.   It 
doesn't have to be complete, but at least an overview, a quick start chapter, 
and a FAQ to handle some troubleshooting, is not too much to ask.  

Plain text is fine, if we know it's there, the documentation team will mark it 
up, and I'll even volunteer to do menu ref's and whatever else is needed.

I'm talking 500 or 1000 words, half an hours work for someone already familiar 
with their own application.  I would not expect a novel, or a shining example 
of technical writing at it's finest - just basic information to explain what 
the application is for, how to fill in enough of the settings dialog to make 
it useful if such is required, how to deal with any major pitfalls if any are 
known, and where to turn for assistance if more help is needed.

Frankly if someone who is writing an application cannot manage this much (and 
they likely already have all the above on their website,), I'm not sure I 
want to count on their being able to maintain their application at all.  I  
note that those applications still missing handbooks in KDE tend to be the 
unmaintained ones missing developers too.

Regards,
-- 
Lauri Watts
KDE Documentation: http://docs.kde.org
KDE on FreeBSD: http://freebsd.kde.org