[kde-doc-english] Fwd: So, I am a beginner

[Mark Shelby]

Update: Here is an email I sent to the developers of KHelpCenter
[version 3.5.] :

-------------------
Hello KDE3 Helpcenter developers.
Are any of you involved in designing the HelpCenter for KDE4 ??

If so, does this idea sound possible:

It would be great to have a tab or a module built into the help center
where one could write new documentation or improve existing
documentation and submit it to the kde-developer community for review.

I think offering this one simple change would allow many more people
to contribute to the documentation efforts of KDE as a whole.
KDE-Document developers could even provide a suggested document
template, and grammar check in the application.

Perhaps the end user could opt not to install the help files at all,
but instead download them as needed from the kde-documentation
repository.

Perhaps part or all of this could be accomplished using the wiki-type
tecniques employed with Amarok [content tab] and similar apps.

What do you think?

-----------------------------------

On 4/18/08, Mark Shelby <mshelby1 at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 4/17/08, ddevine <ddevine at rpath.com> wrote:
> > Philip Rodrigues wrote:
> > > ----------  Forwarded Message  ----------
> > >
> > > Subject: So, I am a beginner
> > > Date: Wednesday 09 April 2008
> > > From: "Mark Shelby" <mshelby1 at gmail.com>
> > > To: kde-doc-english-owner at kde.org
> > >
> > > How do I get started working on Documentation for 4.0 series apps?
> > >
> > > I have been using KDE for many many years and figure that helping with
> > > documentation is one way that I can give something of quality back to
> > > the KDE community.
> > >
> > > The problem is that I know very little about where to begin, or what
> > > the process is.
> > > I saw the page on techbase, but unless I'm missing something it
> > > doesn't really tell me how to get started.
> > >
> > >
> > > I am ready to pick out an app and start writing so... help get me going!
> > >
> > > thanks,
> > > -Mark
> > >
> > >
> > This kind of message is common.
> >
> > At my company, when we get informational requests all the time for the
> > same subject, we write a how-to, FAQ, or technical "tip" on how to do
> > exactly that.
> >
> > I would write this and submit it, but I honestly don't know the process
> > for being involved either.
> >
> Well, this weekend -- It's Friday afternoon for me! -- I will dig in
> and find out what needs to be done and I will make it a point to
> either get in touch with someone or I'll do it myself.
>
> After 9+ years of trying I have converted my Dad to a Linux user. His
> main gripe is poor documentation. Just last night he said "boy,
> someone could make a fortune just by writing clear concise
> documentation for this stuff." He said that after he'd spent hours
> getting his wireless device working, and was in his 2nd hour of trying
> to get his printer working.
>
> By the way, doesn't it make sense that KDE should have a "tab" placed
> in the "KHelpcenter" module in which you could go in to that tab and
> write documentation for a given app or process, then upload it to a
> network for 'fact-checking' by kde experts and document revisionists?
> Seems to me that would be a good way to get more people involved.
>
> > --
> > Derrick Devine, Technical Writer
> > phone: (919) 851-3984 x2151
> > fax: (919) 851.3985
> > rPath, Inc., The Software Appliance Company
> > 701 Corporate Center Drive
> > Raleigh, NC 27607
> > www.rPath.com
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > kde-doc-english mailing list
> > kde-doc-english at kde.org
> > https://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-doc-english
> >
>