Update the documentation for computer-janitor-gtk package

Mon Sep 14 21:37:03 UTC 2009

Hi Ashiq,

On Mon, 2009-09-14 at 01:03 +0400, Ashiq Al-Moosani wrote:
> I would appreciate it if you could review and give me your feedback on
> my proposed outline of the documentation for computer-janitor-gtk. I
> have created the outline here:
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/AshiqAlMoosani

It looks good, thanks for working on this! Here's some feedback, advice
and general information:

The old style of writing GNOME/GTK app documentation was to write a
manual which documented every item in the user interface. As it turns
out, this is precisely what (almost all) users don't want to read!
Instead, we're heading for a task-based approach, which users should
find more useful. In this way of working, you answer common questions
and address common problems rather than providing total coverage of
every function in the UI (some things are obvious, like what the "File
-> Quit" menu item does). Shaun McCance (GNOME doc project lead) has an
article about this [1], and I'm half-way through writing a guide on it
[2].

As a result, the old GNOME templates, which use headings such as
Introduction and Usage, are deprecated now. We're trying to promote an
approach where content is organised in a way which reflects how users
will try to find answers to the questions that they are asking. For
example, rather than Usage you might have a "Removing unwanted packages"
and a "How can I view packages which I decided not to clean-up
previously?" section.

It's also a good idea to find out what questions users commonly have
about the application, and then answer them. I've attached the results
of a search through the #ubuntu IRC logs for questions including the
term "janitor", which might prove useful. I skimmed through and there
were a few interesting-looking topics in there.

Thanks,

Phil

[1] - http://www.gnome.org/~shaunm/quack/mallard.xml
[2] -
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Philbull?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=WD-draft-Sept.odt

-- 
Phil Bull
https://launchpad.net/people/philbull
-------------- next part --------------
Looking for questions which are about computer janitor.
2008-02-02 20:19 erUSUL 
akhilesh: read te linux device drivers 3 (free on internet search for ldd3) to know where to start. Also kernelnewbies and the kernel janitors ml can be of help

2008-05-22 19:49 Ronald 
zionpsyfer: you say the launchpad janitor lies ?

2008-10-25 12:27 serengeti 
is there a way to answer an Ubuntu Question closed by the janitor? i'm new to launchpad

2008-11-07 20:11 devmon 
Has anyone tried authenticating against ldap and received the error message with the problem "your home directory is listed as: /Users/janitor/' but it does not appear to exist." ?

2009-02-27 13:05 Samma3l 
is computer janitor a real package?

2009-03-26 02:51 jasballzza 
when you use computer janitor is it cleaning up the cache or deleting running apps

2009-04-10 04:06 Royall 
Computer Janitor is only on jaunty? :<

2009-04-25 18:17 datta 
i use jaunty, can't i use the janitor?

2009-04-25 19:11 afro-bot 
what about janitor?

2009-04-25 19:42 N0_Named_Guy 
hello, just upgraded to 9.04 via alternate CD.... My mouse just stopped working, AFTER runnign the new Janitor program... what can I do to get it back to work?

2009-04-28 02:25 part_of_what 
usser: ok, and how can you restore location of panels buttons is they gone disordered after running janitor?

2009-04-30 11:26 babio 
i recieve this when launch janitor

2009-04-30 11:33 ripps 
babio: you got janitor working?

2009-05-03 01:51 Linuz2009 
sebsebseb: can the program computer janitor helps me to delete files that won't cause my system to malfunction?

2009-05-03 01:52 Linuz2009 
sebsebseb: can is computer janitor safe to use than Klean Sweeper?

2009-05-03 01:59 Linuz2009 
sebsebseb: how can I do with computer janitor?

2009-05-04 13:01 nmvictor 
ANYONE OUT THEIR::Whats the package name for computer janitor,the new package in ubuntu 9.04,that "cleans" up a system

2009-05-04 13:06 nmvictor 
Steeley:So do I like type sudo apt-get install computer-janitor-gtk to install?Thats not working

2009-05-04 13:10 Steeley 
nmvictor: are you using Jaunty? any specific errors? Computer janitor is installed by default on Jaunty

2009-05-04 13:12 Steeley 
nmvictor: that'll be why, Computer Janitor is new to Jaunty, you might be able to find a PPA on Launchpad with it in however

2009-05-20 04:09 Severity1 
can you run computer janitor? to clear unused pACKAGES

2009-05-20 04:33 Severity1 
have you tried running computer janitor?

2009-05-27 04:36 bullgard4 
System > 'Administration' > 'Computer Janitor': Where can I find a manual for this program?

2009-05-27 04:43 losher 
nigtv: I said ? because you said ' well, you can type "info computer-janitor" in a terminal' and I don't know why, as I hadn't asked a question. No bid deal...

2009-05-30 22:53 farchumbre 
how can i download all the deb packages i remove using 'computer janitor'?

2009-05-30 23:36 farchumbre 
hi, i deleted all deb packages using computer janitor, how can I download them again?

2009-06-02 20:43 ExAstris 
cabrey: last time I was in my system, I ran an update and the janitor app. could that have done it?

2009-06-10 02:27 mib_hvopbro8 
jrib: ok cool exactly what i needed, one more question would apt-get clean be any different then computer janitor?

2009-06-11 01:01 kholerabbi 
I am getting a Kernel Panic on boot in Jaunty after updates+computer janitor+bad shutdown... anything I might do to be able to boot again?

2009-06-13 07:00 redorange 
computer janitor is a nice thing ? or removes needed packages

2009-06-20 08:07 veaeaea 
what is a "computer Janitor"

2009-06-20 08:08 noob 
what is a computer janitor?

2009-07-04 22:17 ^icy-ice^ 
You think you're cool? I'll tell you what would be cool, pillow humper. It would be cool if a janitor circumcised your butt.

2009-07-09 08:39 zhoujingrui 
when i use computer janitor  it said failed to lock /var/cache/apt/archives/lock   why i canot clean up?

2009-07-09 17:12 Poindextra 
defib: Thing is, flash was working fine yesterday (which probably means I'm in 32bit), but when I ran a computer janitor it might have gotten rid of a .deb file or something, which killed my flash.

2009-07-09 19:14 diddy 
What does Administration/Computer Janitor doe?

2009-07-09 19:23 diddy 
What does Administration/Computer Janitor do? It even lists programs that I use frequently.

2009-07-15 07:46 fwaokda 
Can someone help me try and repair my display settings? I have a Radeon 4850 card and have dual monitors setup.  I recently used "Computer Janitor" and it screwed everything up, i think. So I uninstalled (purged) all the ati packages I could think of and then reinstalled from scratch.  I've now managed to get the displays back up with one extended display BUT I can't get the full resolution of the main monitor only the resolution sett

2009-07-17 22:50 Orange_v_Blue 
sixdraw: while I've got someone who knows what they're talking about, have you tried the system janitor? Might that help the mystery processor/ram clogs?

2009-07-17 22:55 Orange_v_Blue 
Anyone have experience with computer janitor or solving system slowdowns (unrelated to video)? Wondering if one would help the other

2009-07-17 22:57 Orange_v_Blue 
Anyone have experience with computer janitor or solving system slowdowns (unrelated to video)? Wondering if one would help the other.

2009-07-17 23:00 Orange_v_Blue 
Anyone have experience with the computer janitor?

2009-07-18 09:05 richardcavell 
My Computer Janitor suggests I uninstall the skype package but of course I want to keep it. Can I flag it in some way so that computer janitor / apt-get autoremove does not find it?

2009-07-19 03:49 arand 
DasEi: Shawnc: btw, does computer janitor do that?

2009-07-19 04:44 enduser000 
how about the computer janitor in system > administration ?

2009-07-19 04:44 Shawnc 
enduser000: computer janitor?

2009-07-23 21:02 BlueAlchemy 
ok, using Jaunty, accidentally deleted computer janitor, and when I go into add/remove programs, won't let me install

2009-07-27 23:10 sfstikkun 
This notice keeps coming up after I click on the update icon....over and over and over...."failed to fetch http.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/distros/"  "some index files failed to download.  They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.  I tried cleaning this up with Janitor..no luck.  What should I do now?  Is this going to cause problems when I try to download the next distro?

2009-07-28 10:17 ares4you 
what is doing computer janitor in developing team ( testing )? Can be used to reconfigure my system?

2009-07-29 15:23 sfstikkun 
I keep getting an icon to cue a download of files which are useless for my distro.  I tried getting rid all orphan files using  Janitor and still this icon keeps appearing.  How do I get rid of whatever is attracting the unwanted cues?

2009-08-01 16:26 Vinceman 
how does the computer janitor determine what software is removable?

2009-08-05 00:39 aaroninfidel 
After I use computer-janitor and remove all proposed packages. It remove all AIR applications (from /opt) and remove Adobe AIR. When a install Adobe AIR 1.5 i see: An error occurred while installing Adobe AIR. Installation may not be allowed by your administrator. Please contact your administrator.  any idea why this might be?

2009-08-05 00:44 aaroninfidel 
After I use computer-janitor and remove all proposed packages. It remove all AIR applications (from /opt) and remove Adobe AIR. When a install Adobe AIR 1.5 i see: An error occurred while installing Adobe AIR. Installation may not be allowed by your administrator. Please contact your administrator.  any idea why this might be?

2009-08-05 00:57 aaroninfidel 
anyone know why computer janitor kills Adobe AIR? everytime I try to install it, it gives me errors.

2009-08-09 05:37 richardcavell 
everyone, I have downloaded and installed a package from outside the Ubuntu repos.  When I run Computer Janitor it tells me that it's not using that package any more - but I am using the package.  Is there any way to tell my Synaptic/apt-get set up that I am using the package and it should flag it as untouchable?

2009-08-14 14:50 vivxone 
how cani install computer janitor in my ubuntu 8.04

2009-08-14 14:54 vivxone 
how cani install computer janitor in my ubuntu 8.04

2009-08-14 14:54 vivxone 
how cani install computer janitor in my ubuntu 8.04

2009-08-14 14:55 vivxone 
how cani install computer janitor in my ubuntu 8.04

2009-08-14 14:58 ikonia 
vivxone: what is computer janitor ? I'm not aware of that application

2009-08-16 01:35 GuidMorrow 
why did "virtualbox-3.0" appear in the computer janitor? something's wrong with the package

2009-08-16 01:48 GuidMorrow 
ok, all fixed, item is showing in the system tools menu, but computer janitor is still reporting a package problem

2009-08-19 07:31 PrometheusComple 
2 questions: why does "compputer janitor" remove all .deb packages like FLASH, and why did the most recent JAVA update break code?