[libreoffice-marketing] Re: Templating Teams

Le 2010-11-07 14:47, Michel Gagnon a écrit :

Merci Michel:

In this thread, we have thus far discussed the template workflow as well 
as a mentorship process whereby a well capable template dev would help 
out and enlighten specialised template creators on correct templating 
procedures and formatting.

Also, in my view, it would not necessarily be a question of only people 
joining to create templates but as well as actively promoting the 
templating site as well as actively searching for particular individuals 
with promising and potential ideas fitting in a templating scheme. One 
example that I can think of (as you know of my interest in the 
educational field): a teacher association who could help in promoting 
the idea and providing teams for templating efforts.

We had spoken a bit on where to upload these templates until Andrea 
suggested to take a look at the infrastructure of 
http://templates.services.openoffice.org/ as an example of its complexity.

> I am not a fan of templates. Usually, there is either something that
> doesn't suit me, or I find it simpler to design from scratch, so I may
> not be the best guy to comment on the subject. With this disclaimer,
> here are my suggestions.

Yes, however, for the general user, templates are of quite good use to 
those searching for a quicker way to complete a repetitive task. I know 
that you are a great proponent of styles and that stylistically, most of 
these templates could be reconstructed along the lines of page styles. 
Let's just say that perhaps templating for some of the specialists in 
the different template categories could be good candidates to moving on 
to page styles.

> 1. I think templates are completely different from software development.
> They may help "sell" LibreOffice, but there doesn't have to be any link
> between those who design LibreOffice (both the code and user interface)
> and those who design templates. So the structure designed for templates
> may even be at arms' length so it does not add extra work to those who
> are already working on the LibreOffice and Document Foundation websites.

Agreed. As we discuss this further, as an added-on value to LibreOffice, 
the subject of templates seem to speak more to a site unto itself. This, 
as you have suggested, would foster more of template dev interest and 
serve as a repository where users and dev's would be busy at developing 
templates for LibO. As I was suggesting earlier, something like 
TDF/LibreTemplates or something catchy under the umbrella TDF.

> 2. At this time, there are no significant differences between
> LibreOffice and OpenOffice. And from what I see, there probably won't be
> any differences between LO and OOo documents for quite some time. I
> mean, even if LibreOffice comes with a totally redesigned interface, it
> still is committed to the .odt format. So in a nutshell, templates that
> work in LibreOffice will work in OpenOffice, with the other
> forks/variants, with Lotus Symphony, and maybe with a few others such as
> AbiWord (not sure, though).

Yes.

> 3. Interface wise, I think it should be simpler. What about something
> like a forum (see http://libreofficeforum.org) where posts would have a
> template attached to it? Templates could then be evaluated and commented
> upon either through other messages of a forum or through a 1-to-5
> notation technique according to flexibility, conformity to style sheets,
> ease of use in other languages, etc.

Actually, I was thinking more of the style an extension type app store, 
where the templates would be made availabe to the users. Either, along 
the lines of the Mozilla extensions site (template dev's and user could 
cooperate and rate the extension).

> 4. There could also be a page linking to other websites with templates.
> For instance, on LibreOfficeTemplates, why not have a link to OOo
> Templates (with a note saying they are fully compatible)? In my humble
> opinion, the more standardized documents people see, the more they will
> value LibreOffice.

Yes, links to other sites offering templates could be noted.
>  From the user point of view, there are two things I find missing on the
> current OpenOffice Templates website:
> – There is a section on how to upload one's template, but nothing on how
> to download and start using a template (it's not obvious to newcomers)
> – More examples, as well as a clear list of what it does and what it
> doesn't do.
>
> And from the uploader point of view, I think the guide should add
> something with regard to how I would transform a perfect document into a
> template (maybe this exists elsewhere in the OOo wiki and books, I don't
> know.

Actually, you beat me to this point. I was going to suggest if this were 
hosted on the TDF server as a separate site, would anyone have any 
suggestions as to how they would view such a site and what kind of 
structure would you envisage?

Just a reminder that this is just a discussion/idea being developed and 
does not necessarily mean that it would be implemented.

> Regards,

Cheers

Marc


--
E-mail to marketing+help@libreoffice.org for instructions on how to unsubscribe
List archives are available at http://www.libreoffice.org/lists/marketing/
All messages you send to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted