<div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Jul 8, 2009 at 12:30 PM, Charlie Kravetz <<a href="mailto:cjk@teamcharliesangels.com">cjk@teamcharliesangels.com</a>> wrote: <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"> On Wed, 8 Jul 2009 12:14:53 -0400 <div class="im">Evan <<a href="mailto:eapache@gmail.com">eapache@gmail.com</a>> wrote: </div><div><div></div><div class="h5">> On Wed, Jul 8, 2009 at 5:46 AM, Andrew Sayers < > <a href="mailto:andrew-ubuntu-devel@pileofstuff.org">andrew-ubuntu-devel@pileofstuff.org</a>> wrote: > > > I think the model we're heading towards with the signpost is that > > the wiki page contains questions that have been asked before, while > > IRC and the wiki discussion page are for new questions. > > > > Makes sense to me. Add the forums to the "new questions" section. > > > > If it works, I think #ubuntu might want to look at the signpost > > model. Being able to click "I have a problem with my hardware -> > > video card -> NVidia card -> unsupported NVidia card" would satisfy > > a bunch of users without needing direct support, and would make it > > easier to direct people towards the "level 2 tech support" channels. > > > > Done right, a signpost-like model could also ensure that level 2 > > support requests are well formulated. Leaf nodes for unknown > > problems might look like this: > > > > BEGIN WIKITEXT > > > > === Modern NVidia card with no known issues === > > > > Your problem is not covered by this guide. Go to #ubuntu-video and > > say "I have a problem with my modern NVidia card (TYPE). This card > > has no known issues. My problem is: PROBLEM". Make sure to > > replace "TYPE" and "PROBLEM" with the type of card you have and the > > problem you're having with it. > > > > END WIKITEXT > > > > This gave me an idea for a small application (probably PyGTK) that > could be included in Ubuntu under System>Help somewhere. It would > collect all the various help docs currently available in System>Help, > as well as all the wiki pages that are applicable > (/Support/<release>/... or whatever structure is decided on) and > provide a signpost menu based on those. Additionally, if the user > gets to the bottom of the signpost and their problem isn't solved or > they have additional questions, there could be an option "Get live > help". This would collect useful information first, and then run a > script which automagically launches an irc client with everything set > up, and into the right level 2 channel. > > As example, if user Bob is having trouble with no sound, he goes to > this application. He gets shown a page (scraped from the wiki) on > checking volume levels, and other common problems. He then clicks on > the "My problem isn't solved, get live help" button. It would use > apport-collect and stick a folder on the Desktop with useful > information, then connect him to irc on the #ubuntu-sound channel. > This way the signpost can be automated, the user doesn't have to > understand IRC beyond "type message and hit enter", and the user > already has a collection of useful information available for the > helper to peruse. </div></div>The only issue I can find with this approach is that many new users are coming from windows. Have you tried using windows "help"? It does use an approach similar to this, and I would be afraid that many of those users will dismiss this as soon as it starts. Everytime I have attempted to use the help in windows, the Q & A ends with frustration on my part when it says basically "can't figure out what is wrong". If those new users can be convinced this will not be the results every time in Ubuntu, this could be an excellent help system.</blockquote><div> You have a point. Hopefully the addition of a "Get Live Help" button will mitigate the problem though. Even if the automated help doesn't give any useful suggestions, it should be able to reliably determine where it ought to put you in IRC. How bad would it be for it to say "Sorry, the automated system couldn't solve your problem. Please wait while I connect you to a human who should be able fix it." ? </div></div>