[documentation] Hitchhikers guide to Drupal

[Bill Fitzgerald]

Hello, all,

Several people have remarked on the tone -- although it didn't strike 
me as over
the top on an initial read, after your comments I see can see the error of my
ways :) A few people have remarked on the need to state things positively (ie,
what Drupal is, as opposed to what Drupal isn't) -- that gets abig +1 here.

One of the things this thread seems to reveal is the need for a handbook page
that links to ways non-coders can contribute back to the community. 
Most of the
complaints about Drupal's lack of user friendliness come from non-coders. In
some ways, these non-coders are precisely the people we want contributing
documentation on how to use Drupal -- their learning process is fresh in their
minds, and they can see and express the issues new users have better than more
experienced users.

So, toward that end, I will gladly compile and post this list of resources,
tentatively titled "A non-coders guide to contributing to Drupal"

My suggested links:
1. A link to the mailing lists page where they can join the listservs
2. A list of Forums that see a higher percentage of newbie-related questions
(General Discussion, Usability Feedback, Pre-Installation questions,
Installation Problems, How do I style questions)
3. A guide to posting handbook pages (and perhaps a section in the handbook in
close proximity to the site recipes entitled "Tips and Tricks for New Users"?)

Any other suggestions/feedback?

Cheers,

Bill

Quoting "Kim P. Werker" <kim at crochetme.com>:

> On 5-Jan-06, at 10:53 AM, Laura Scott wrote:
>
>> I mean the word in the sense it's used in chess: a kibitzer is  
>> someone who watches and criticizes but doesn't play in the actual  
>> game. Maybe it's too obscure of a reference?
>
> Gotcha. Maybe I'm just too inexperienced a chess player. I forgot  
> about the less benign Yiddish usage -- kibitzing is by its nature  
> pointless (and potentially irritating).
>
> On 5-Jan-06, at 10:55 AM, Boris Mann wrote:
>> Actually, I would say you are the type of person that doesn't need  
>> this notice at all...since you've jumped in and started contributing.
>
> Yes, but I don't know I would have had I read this notice. (I did  
> lots of hand waving and brow-furrowed complaining before I decided  
> that the software is too good to be passed up by people even mildly  
> less stubborn than I am.)
>
> Cheers,
> Kim
> ---
> Editor
> Crochet me Online Magazine
> http://www.crochetme.com
>
> This is your brain on yarn.
>
>
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