Re: [libreoffice-design] Re: [VI] Consistent theme for screenshots

Hi Marc,

On Thu, Jul 7, 2011 at 5:37 PM, Marc Paré <marc@marcpare.com> wrote:
> I don't know if you were part of the prior discussions on this, but the
> general consensus is that the Design team is usually consulted on matters
> involving matters to do with graphic design which is why we are holding the
> screenshot discussion on this list.

IMHO, the taking of screenshots is covered adequately in the English
documentation team's Contributor's Guide (see Chapter 2, "Producing
User Guides", page 10 onwards).

Personally, I feel that it would be most useful if the Design team
were to keep its eye truly on the ball and work on new UI/UX designs
for the LibreOffice software. That is actually the most pressing task
we'd have for you guys, IMHO.

> The LibreOffice project has many
> tentacles but some of these tentacles do need to cooperate with other
> tentacles. The design team does a good job at keeping the LibreOffice
> "public face" consistent.

My personal feeling is that the Design team is slightly over-extending
its remit with an initiative that is non-crucial if not trivial, and
for which there is not a general consensus. I'd much rather see you
guys focused on working with the devs on UI/UX design for the
LibreOffice software.

> As to your reference again of "manage their own work, without anyone trying
> to impose ideas on them > "from the outside" (meaning from people who are
> not actively involved > in the actual work)." seems to be a little negative
> when some of us who would like to contribute are asking for a little more
> clarity in guidelines. It doesn't sound like people would have a voice to
> express their opinions about a part of LibreOffice where they would like to
> participate.

Anybody who writes to the documentation list is always given advice
and recommendations by one or more of the other contributors at first
asking, and is free to make comments and suggestions - which get
listened to willingly and objectively.


> You can't on one hand complain that there is not enough help to update
> manuals and create more documentation and then complain when people ask for
> clarity and better guidelines and infer that they are butting in where they
> don't belong.

I don't remember complaining about anything at all, Marc, except that
you're trying to impose a standardized theme and working rules on the
English docs team and website team when there is a non-negligible
number of people voicing disagreement with various aspects of the
premises you've adopted and what you're trying to achieve.

> If growth in contributors was a problem with OOo and that it
> is again rearing its ugly head with LibreOffice, then maybe there needs to
> be a little tweaking here and there to help new people join and contribute.

Well, I'm not sure who's vision of "tweaking" is being implemented, or
whether they correctly identified the reasons for a drop-off in
contribution before doing so...

> Or at least, is this not part of the project's hopes? Have more members contribute?

Certainly. I'm not sure that this particular initiative by the Design
team is going to contribute to that goal.

But, in any case, we're also wasting time and effort on circular
arguments in the ML. Any recommendations you write will not be
mandatorily binding upon other project contributors, and will only be
adopted by those contributors if they are seen to be useful and
sensible, right?

The Design team could really make a positive difference to our
project's success if it were to work closely with the core devs on
imaginative new UIs to cater to the various new platforms on which
LibreOffice could be used.

Our environment is evolving fast, and I just don't see the LibreOffice
project coming up with bold imaginative answers to the challenges that
*really* face us. If we don't move fast, we could end up being
marginal and side-lined. The Design team needs to be a central player
in ensuring that this does not happen.

Perhaps you could just leave the details of documentation work and web
content development to some perfectly competent people working in
those areas?

-- 
David Nelson

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