Re: [libreoffice-website] Re: Interesting Idea for community Integration

On Nov 5, 2010, at 12:32 PM, Marc Paré wrote:
> > > On Fri, 2010-11-05 at 13:34 +0930, Michael Wheatland wrote:
> > > > The Ubuntu Community has suggested what is called a 'We Menu' which
> > > > adds a community aspect to the OS.
> > > > Might be an idea for LibreOffice?
> > > >
> > > > http://wiki.ubuntu.com/WeMenu
> > >
> > > I agree there is good, possibly, stuff- for a good part of this week,
> > > when I had time, I've been crawling all over the Ubuntu sites ( on the
> > > IRC channel and Mailing list) talking to folks and reading about how
> > > they handle team building / support / reporting.
> > >
> > > There is some great stuff there - to be honest I doubt we will find much
> > > interest here in TDF - but I'll be trying over the next couple of days.
> >
> > I like this very much. This ties the app into the web in useful, community ways, and shows off 
> > the strength of our online community, if we do it well. It can help new users find "coaches" to 
> > help them learn how best to use LibO, and it can help experienced users too.
> >
> > Almost two years ago, I created a proposal for the OOo Start Center that included community 
> > features like this in the start splash screen. (I called it the Dashboard and documented the 
> > idea here: http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/OpenOffice.org_Dashboard_Concept )
> >
> > -Ben
>
> Nice work! I like this. As you say in your "Web Integration" section, the more active user become 
> the more they will stick with OOo/LibO. Allowing our user base to join in one way or another 
> gives them a sense of belonging. As to our TDF/LibO members, these people are here to make a 
> difference in either participating actively or making sure their voice is here. We really 
> caretakers of two groups: LibO users at large (through our user help tools) and our TDF/LibO 
> members. In either case, Ben's "Dashboard" idea or the Ubuntu "WeMenu" are looking at addressing 
> these needs.

Community participation is an even stronger incentive to continue using LibO than are the old 
proprietary tricks of "lock-in" via obfuscated file formats. And, community participation achieves 
this in a way that is positive to users, instead of antagonistic. We can--and should--develop 
specific tools that help encourage community participation for both end-users and project 
volunteers over time.

> I think that we should look a little more closely at Ben's "Dashboard" proposal as well as the 
> "WeMenu" as they seem to be at, pretty well, the same point of development.
>
> I guess if Ben is still interested in continuing developing the "Dashboard" proposal.

I am. It's due for an update, and I'd like to keep working on it with this community's 
participation.

It's also worth considering how this approach can help us compete with online office suites. By 
incorporating some online tools into LibO, we blunt their appeal!

-Ben

Benjamin Horst
bhorst@mac.com
646-464-2314 (Eastern)
www.solidoffice.com


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