[Bf-docboard] Specific plans and discussion of what our manual should be and how to get it

[Abuelo S. B. Chdancer]

Top level design:

What should a manual be and how do we get one?

1) Quick reference guide to all commands?

2) Topic based manual of what you might want to do and how to do it?

3) A place to learn step by step?

Lower level design:

What is a normal page to look like?

How should one page lead or connect to another? (Has the tech already set
this?)

What should the overall plan for the entire work be?

Contributors:

Finding that rare combination of someone who intimately knows parts of
Blender and is willing and able to explain it to someone who doesn't
understand shouldn't be messed up by also requiring that person to be
technically proficient and willing to learn new software simply to tell
their story.

If that software is needed to get the text and pictures into the server -
let those who use it be *sub-editors* and let the *authors* communicate
with sub-editors using simple software that everyone already has - email &
browser.

I would tell other potential contributors that they need to indicate in a
simple webform what they feel able to help on, and tell them that sending
in their contribution will be technically similar to posting a comment on a
website - nothing to download, no programming skills needed.

The various ideas would need to be cut down to practical designs and could
then be again displayed on webpages for public review.

When the design of the work has been decided which includes details of what
individual pages should have in common and what should be different the
minor stylistic decisions can be made about whether writing is to say "You
can" rather than "It is possible to.."

 We need a few web pages that everyone who downloads blender would be asked
to review asking them to rate which concepts they think would be useful for
them in learning or using Blender.

I would do a survey of users to try to understand what they/we need or want
from documentation.

I would send an email to anyone who downs Blender, about 2 weeks later
asking them to comment on what causes them problems, on where they look for
information, on how they are learning. I would read them all to get a feel
for the problem.

 So I suggest the following:

Those who already have downloaded whatever that stuff is that I couldn't
even be bothered to read - they should be initially *sub-editors *who can
receive contributions from other simpler folks like me, that *sub-editor*
then uses that software stuff to get the data onto the server.

Some web page creating type is needed to set-up the following fairly simple
webpages that I am suggesting, or something similar where normal
contributors can register their willingness and their self-claimed level of
expertise. I would be happy to work with the webpage creator.

I would be happy to help plan a few web pages that everyone who downloads
blender would be asked to review asking them to rate which concepts they
think would be useful for them in learning or using Blender.

The server should send an email anyone who downs Blender, about 2 weeks
later asking them to comment on what causes them problems, on where they
look for information, on how they are learning. We should all read them all
to get a feel for the problem.

 It may be that others on this list that is out there somewhere have much
better ideas than mine, but if we don't come up with a better plan this is
the default that I suggest:

I and a web page creator put on Blender.org the following new webpages
directly linked as the documentation page.

"Register in this form if you would like to be involved in creating a great
manual for a great program."

The form would contain questions for the contributor to define in what way
they can help.

They can choose to be

*sub-editors* who download software and get their fingers into the servers
data or

*authors * who write explaining command or who write explaining methods or

*contributors* who want to voice what they would like to see in the manual
but who are not capable of actually doing it (newbies have the right to say
what they need, but obviously they can't provide it)

Decisions or plans of what the manual should contain and BE, would be
published on those pages with feedback forms to check if it's what users
probably want.

Please make your suggestions.

Do you want to build those webpages?
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