Re: [libreoffice-users] LibreOffice's documentation (pdf and online)

Hi :)
I was really impressed to see the initial request for feedback *.  Also
with the responses.

Even more feedback might be generated through the social media channels.
Has anyone here got any good ideas of a good way of asking the question(s)
in so few characters?


The Documentation Team and the people working on the 'inbuilt' help and the
International Translators ARE all 'normal users' - or at least that is
usually how they were when they first started contributing their time and
skills to LibreOffice/OpenOffice.  Some work in more than one team and/or
move around between different teams but there is no formal "liaison" except
the generic "Projects" or "Discussion" mailing list.

The strongest informal links seem to be between the International
Translators and the 'in-built' help teams.  As a result it seems that the
'in-built' help is fantastic in all languages except English.   The English
version might be a little geeky, or "too perfect" or something else that
native English Speakers might find irksome.  Anyway the main point is that
it translates VERY well - so, many thanks to all involved!! :)))

The Documentation Team was blessed with an extremely good team-leader who
poured tons of work into the project for many years (and still can't quite
stop herself from helping at all levels (luckily!!)).  If there were a
medal for exceptionally good work and/or over a long time period then Jean
Weber deserves at least 10 of them.  However there are other people in the
Documentation Team, now and in the past, who have varying amounts of
experience and/or skill.  Sometimes it helps to have someone new and with
no skill or experience to proof-read to see how a 'normal' user might view
it or to see what a fresh pair of eyes sees.  Sadly such people often learn
very quickly so a constant influx of 'noobs' might help! :)


* One problem that many community-led organisations have is the feeling
that asking other users how they feel or what they think is unnecessary
because everyone is free to jump in on any team's work at any time.  Teams
such as Documentation often require a higher level of commitment and often
require some knowledge or understanding in order to be able to contribute.
Also there is far tooo much being done in far too many areas for almost
anyone to be able to spend enough time figuring out what all the different
teams are doing at any given moment.

So i think an occasional open-ended poll of 'normal' users (incl those from
other parts of the project) is truly excellent.


Many, many thanks to everyone who has already responded, or already been
involved or even is just lurking here.
Regards from
Tom :)








On 25 June 2015 at 10:33, Gary Collins <gcatlast@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

> Hi David,
> 1) Yes, I have used the pdf documentation from time to time, but don't
> often have need to. Normally, only if I have a problem, which might occur
> when I'm trying something new and unfamiliar; but most of the time I am
> just using LO for the old and familiar! My first action in such a case
> would be to check the menus; if I can't find what I need there, I try
> searching more widely. It's not always easy to find what I want in a large
> document, though; but it's definitely comforting to know it's there, in
> case, and it has at times been useful.
> 2) I might think of doing this -- BUT: I use LO mainly on a machine
> without internet connection, having downloaded elsewhere and ported on a
> memory stick or similar. I believe that the help needs to be downloaded
> separately from the application, and I don't always remember to download
> the help along with the application, so this method doesn't always work for
> me!
> 3) Some thoughts. The documents are long; there must be a way to
> rapidly identify and get to the appropriate section. If there are too many
> large graphics, it makes scrolling through the document an arduous process;
> graphics should be used only where they really clarify something in the
> text, and should not be larger than necessary to achieve such
> clarification. Ease of use should always trump prettiness. This is a
> comment about documentation in general; the above comments may already be
> addressed in LO doc, it's a long time since I've looked, and my memory's
> not too great!
> 4) Probably already answered in (3); if I think of anything to add, I'll
> reply again.
> best,/Gary
>        From: dallen <daa.libre@gmail.com>
>  To: users@global.libreoffice.org
>  Sent: Wednesday, 24 June 2015, 17:58
>  Subject: [libreoffice-users] LibreOffice's documentation (pdf and online)
>
> Hi All,
>
>   I'm an experienced Technical Writer beginning work on LibreOffice's
> documentation, but I have some questions for LibreOffice users:
>
>   1) Does anyone EVER look at the pdf documentation? If not, why not?
>   2) Does anyone EVER click the F1 key for help? If not, why not?
>   3) Do you see any overall issues concerning the documentation?
>   4) If the presentation of the documentation were to change to make it
> more useful, what would it look like?
>
> Thanks for anyone's help.
>
> Davidaa
>
>
>
> --
> View this message in context:
> http://nabble.documentfoundation.org/LibreOffice-s-documentation-pdf-and-online-tp4152516.html
> Sent from the Users mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>
> --
> To unsubscribe e-mail to: users+unsubscribe@global.libreoffice.org
> Problems?
> http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/
> Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette
> List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/
> All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be
> deleted
>
>
>
>
> --
> To unsubscribe e-mail to: users+unsubscribe@global.libreoffice.org
> Problems?
> http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/
> Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette
> List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/
> All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be
> deleted

-- 
To unsubscribe e-mail to: users+unsubscribe@global.libreoffice.org
Problems? http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/mailing-lists/how-to-unsubscribe/
Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette
List archive: http://listarchives.libreoffice.org/global/users/
All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted