[documentation] Contributors to docs need more public recognition

[David Rothstein]

On Mon, May 26, 2008 11:13 am, Steve Dondley wrote:
> Based on the feedback so far, allow me modify the original proposal
> and put this on the table:
>
> 1) A new block on each document page is should be visible.
> 2) The intent of the block is to recruit more document contributors
> (which has been the intent behind the original proposal as well).
> ...

As someone who is still relatively new, I just wanted to say that I think
Steve's idea is great and would probably be very effective at encouraging
more people to contribute to documentation (and other parts of Drupal
too).  I don't think it's so much about giving contributors better credit
(although that's not a bad idea for its own sake), but it's really more
about helping new people *visualize* themselves as members of the
community before they actually join it.

To be more specific, the individual documentation pages look a little
impersonal right now.  How do new people, visiting one of these pages,
even know that they are encouraged to contribute?  For all they know,
these pages are written by a special committee of people who have passed a
test or have been elected to a certain position... and thus even if
they're interested in contributing, they might feel unwelcome or out of
place in doing so.  Granted, there is information elsewhere on drupal.org
that explains the way things work, but Steve's idea would directly
encourage people to contribute *at the moment when such encouragement
would be most effective*.  It would humanize the page and show new users
that a range of different types of contributions (and contributors) are
welcome.

Please consider me willing to put some time into making this happen if
there's any way I can help.

--David Rothstein