Categories and SubPages as it pertains to the Wiki Playbook

[yann_ubuntu-1 at yahoo.fr]

> As you know, I'm currently working on the Wiki Playbook and
> have
> reached a quandary that I have been unable to find through
> our mailing
> lists and documentation.
> 
> Specifically, this is as it related to our "Categories",
> Naming
> Schemas, and SubPages.  As you can imagine, since this
> will be part of
> the Playbook, this is quite an important decision and
> should be up for
> discussion rather than me making an executive decision as
> the author
> (as much as I'd like to).  Here is what I'm talking
> about:
> 
> Example:
> Under https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Applications we
> have:
> 
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AccessoriesApplications
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Games
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/GraphicsApplications
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InternetApplications
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/OfficeApplications
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/OtherSoftware
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Programming
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SoundVideoDefault
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SystemTools
> 
> Personally, and this might just be in an ideal world, this
> is how *I*
> personally envision this:
> 
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Applications/Accessories
> 
> Then there would be:
> 
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Applications/Accessories/Calculator
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Applications/Accessories/Character
> Map
> etc....
> 
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Applications/Games
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Applications/Games#Wormux
> etc....
> 
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Applications/Graphics
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Applications/Graphics/EyeofGNOME
> etc...
> 
> And since Rythmbox recently came up in the mailing list, it
> might look
> something like this:
> 
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Applications/Audio/Rhythmbox
> or
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Applications/Multimedia/Rhythmbox
> 
> But this is not restricted to applications:
> 
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/CompositeManager
> could be:
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/EyeCandy/CompositeManager
> 
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/GnomeDo
> would be:
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/EyeCandy/GnomeDo
> etc.....
> 
> Just so everyone can get a feel, this is what I did with
> the following
> section, as this might give a better idea:
> 
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SSH/OpenSSH/Keys
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SSH/OpenSSH/Configuring
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SSH/OpenSSH/PortForwarding
> 
> Theoretically, these "could" have been:
> 
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InternetandNetworking/SSH/OpenSSH/Keys
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InternetandNetworking/SSH/OpenSSH/Configuring
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InternetandNetworking/SSH/OpenSSH/PortForwarding
> 
> But that might be a bit much.
> 
> Now, I know not everyone will agree on categories and
> locations.  As
> always, we could set up redirects from one category page,
> into another
> if need be.
> 
> Sorry for the lengthy email, but I thought it would be best
> way to
> showcase my examples.
> 
> I hope you see the trend I open the floor for discussion.
> 
> Marc K.
> Ubuntu Documentation Team Wiki Administrator
> 
> NOTE: Due to work and Harry Potter tomorrow night, I
> probably won't be
> able to respond till Thursday evening EST.

Before all, sorry if my answer is not accurate, as i don't know what the "Wiki Playbook" is. I understand the subject is about the Community Wiki (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/)


We (ubuntu-fr) have done 2 years ago the contrary action: 
-at first we had long URL with sub-directories, 
-now we have only VERY FEW sub-directories: common pages (i would say 80%) are at root (http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org), and some (~19%) of them are in http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/tutoriel/ (HOWTO), and very few (~1%) are in some "admin" directories: http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/wiki/ or http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/projet/
Instead we now use a system of TAGS at the begining of each page: generally 2~6 tags per page.

Examples:
http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/smile
http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/vlc
http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/tutoriel/comment_installer_un_paquet
http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/wiki/syntaxe

We don't regret this choice as we now have smaller URLs, and possibility to affect a page to several "categories" (tags).

Regards,
~YannUbuntu
ubuntu-fr