Ubuntuguide.org Considered Harmful

[Jim Tarvid]

Wow. I wasn't intellectually and emotionally ready for that answer.

Thanks. Your response will provide fodder for the next round table discussion.

Jim

On 6/5/07, Aaron Kincer <kincera at gmail.com> wrote:
> Whoops, should read:
>
> 2) Make information EASY to edit
>
> The joys of spell check and the wrong word spelled correctly.
>
> Aaron Kincer wrote:
> > It's no secret that documentation is the least sexy part of the
> > technical realm. But it seems to me the way to encourage the group
> > process and achieve accuracy (have your cake and eat it too) is to
> > achieve as many of the following as possible:
> >
> > 1) Make information easy to find
> > 2) Make information east to edit
> > 3) Establish a "standard" way to write documentation so someone only
> > has to drop in their steps in a template
> > 4) Establish a rank system
> > 5) Provide attribution
> >
> >
> > I listed those in the order that I think are most important. Finding
> > information easily is the proverbial chicken (see Google for
> > reference) and making it easy to edit is the egg (see Wikipedia).
> > Providing a standard no-brainer way to display information is the next
> > link in the chain (see Myspace). Lastly, providing attribution and a
> > rank system complete the gambut (see Slashdot and Digg).
> >
> > While an endeavor can be successful with having only one of those, the
> > more you have, the better off you are. The standard template design
> > I'm talking about doesn't have to be interface driven like Myspace
> > even though I used that as an illustration. Although having a "wizard"
> > type interface to guide someone would make it easier. Otherwise,
> > people would have to emulate what others do and would require a
> > cleanup crew to go back and massage entries that are a bit cavalier in
> > their organization. If you think documentation isn't sexy, try
> > cleaning up documentation.
> >
> > Of course, implementing all of this is a huge endeavor. The immediate
> > thing that can be done that doesn't require a tremendous effort is a
> > more straight forward and organized wiki that allows people to be
> > viewing and editing task oriented information in two clicks or less
> > from the main wiki screen. I'm thinking:
> >
> > Wiki main page -> Click on Feisty Server (or other version) Wiki
> >
> > I think from there, it is not out of the question to have categories
> > to select with a "View All" link at the top for those that have the
> > bandwidth to pull it all at once and don't want to click through four
> > links just to figure out how to configure dual head for their nVidia
> > card. Maybe it would be more expedient just to skip the categories and
> > have one main Wiki page for a version like UG does.
> >
> > While the information in UG may not be relied upon to be completely
> > accurate, there is a reason it is successful. My opinion is that it is
> > quick and easy to find what you are looking for (accuracy aside).
> >
> > Of course, the decision to make changes such as this does not rest in
> > my hands and these are only my opinions.
> >
> > Aaron Kincer
> >
> > Jim Tarvid wrote:
> >> Merely true!
> >>
> >> I run across competing howtos all the time. The academic world
> >> addresses the issue by "journaling". That doesn't always work either.
> >> I use a sandbox approach and have reinstalled some things a dozen
> >> times or more before I get it exactly right.
> >>
> >> How do we encourage the group process of many eyes makes better
> >> documentation?
> >>
> >> Jim Tarvid
> >>
> >> On 6/5/07, Aaron Kincer <kincera at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Kristian,
> >>>
> >>> I'm with you that not all the information there is "good" and can break
> >>> your system. Heck, I've seen some instructions there that were just
> >>> plain wrong without even having to try them out. However, in my
> >>> opinion,
> >>> the layout of the UG is much better and easier to find information
> >>> quickly than the official wiki site you linked to. Until this is
> >>> addressed, I'm afraid there are some that will not go there first
> >>> (maybe
> >>> even at all). In my opinion, there should be links at the very top to a
> >>> task oriented wiki similar to UG for each respective version. The links
> >>> at the bottom don't lead to help and are just confusing.
> >>>
> >>> When someone wants to know how to do something very specific, trying to
> >>> sort through the pages there is a bit cumbersome in my humble opinion.
> >>> When I have a very specific task I want to accomplish, I'd prefer
> >>> not to
> >>> navigate through more than a couple of clicks.
> >>>
> >>> Aaron Kincer
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Kristian Hermansen wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> All,
> >>>>
> >>>> Be wary of Ubuntuguide.org.  When users first encountered it, they
> >>>> consider it
> >>>> to be a great resource.  Everything you might need to do is in one
> >>>> place with info how to accomplish a goal.  However, the problem is
> >>>> that using Ubuntuguide.org may result in your system becoming broken
> >>>> or incorrectly configured.  The guide is not always correct, and you
> >>>> may break your system, especially when it comes to upgrade to the next
> >>>> release of Ubuntu.  Much of this has to do with adding third party
> >>>> sources to your APT configuration.  When you do this, your system
> >>>> could be stable for a few months, until you decide to move to Gutsy,
> >>>> and then you wonder why Ubuntu
> >>>> fails to upgrade!
> >>>>
> >>>> Please please please use http://wiki.ubuntu.com or the other
> >>>> help/community resources at the official Ubuntu domain ahead of any
> >>>> other resource.  Once you realized that Ubuntuguide is harmful, make
> >>>> every effort to support the official wiki and add items there.  Some
> >>>> people on this list may not realize the harm that can be done if you
> >>>> add unofficial items to your APT sources.  This is one of the major
> >>>> issues with UG, as they are always suggesting you do this.  With
> >>>> Ubuntu,  you normally don't need to do this, since most software is in
> >>>> the hosted repositories.  Again, Ubuntuguide.org should be avoided at
> >>>> all times...
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>> --
> >>> ubuntu-server mailing list
> >>> ubuntu-server at lists.ubuntu.com
> >>> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-server
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>