Getting started with Joomla! Hints
Kendall Cabe raised an excellent point in another discussion where I responded to a question, indicating that we need to preserve this resource as a professional resource and not duplicate the support services provided at Joomla.org.
His point was (and I'll paraphrase) that those just getting started with Joomla! certainly could be valuable additions to our group here in many areas where they have skills and experience and want to participate. That is absolutely correct. He also suggested that we might want to create a "Getting started with Joomla! Hints" resource that new people could use to find good information at Joomla.org and learn why it's important to use that resource for those types of questions.
Is anyone interested in putting together a "Quick Start for Joomla!" guide? This should be no more than one or two pages, explain the forums and what they might expect, and where the good documentation is. It could also include ideas on books or other resources that might be helpful.
That type of resource we can make visible here so new people can find it - and understand the reason we are organized, as we are.
Love the idea - we just need someone with a sturdy back! Thanks!
His point was (and I'll paraphrase) that those just getting started with Joomla! certainly could be valuable additions to our group here in many areas where they have skills and experience and want to participate. That is absolutely correct. He also suggested that we might want to create a "Getting started with Joomla! Hints" resource that new people could use to find good information at Joomla.org and learn why it's important to use that resource for those types of questions.
Is anyone interested in putting together a "Quick Start for Joomla!" guide? This should be no more than one or two pages, explain the forums and what they might expect, and where the good documentation is. It could also include ideas on books or other resources that might be helpful.
That type of resource we can make visible here so new people can find it - and understand the reason we are organized, as we are.
Love the idea - we just need someone with a sturdy back! Thanks!
Views: 26
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tony Davis on -
Is this the kind of thing you have in mind? The link to Talk pages does not work because of the context. If moved to a normal wiki page it will work.
It is an interesting exercise for me in thinking about the 1.6 Manual. And I think that will mean that making a draft (imperfect since it is not possible to be clear about what 1.6 holds) fairly quick and easy. But it will look a bit like this example. The difference will be that I shall style the subpages rather better. -
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Permalink Reply by Tony Davis on
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Please comment on this Joomla Quick Start guide.
It has been an interesting and informative exercise. Next product will be some sample pages for documentation of 1.6 and some guidance on how to build them. -
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Permalink Reply by Amy Stephen on
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Tony - I'm going to point people to this new resource and see if we can't get some feedback. Keep on, keepin' on! You are doing fabulous!
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Permalink Reply by Greg Hluska on -
Writing a quick start guide is one of the most difficult exercises in the entire field of training. Not only is it intensely difficult to decide exactly what information a new user needs right away, it is also one of the most thankless tasks on the planet. However, you did a wonderful job and I felt proud to read what you came up with. I especially like how you balance some more difficult concepts (ie - 1.0/1.5/1.6) with links to some simple, getting started material.
If I were in your shoes, I might consider putting a bit of work into the following areas:
(1) A quick copy-edit for voice and clarity (forgive me, I help publish/edit a magazine and have become rather anal on subjects of voice!) ;-)
(2) Information hierarchy - when I put myself into a beginner's shoes, I find myself asking, "What should I read/watch first??"
#2 is quite difficult because I have yet to find a really strong piece of written documentation that will take someone brand new, hold their hand and introduce them to the world of Joomla 1.5. I have been working on a document specifically geared towards not-for-profits with limited technical skills (and extremely limited budgets), but I'm still a solid week or two away from having anything suitable for review. With some luck, it will prove useful to the community as a large.
Wonderful work though and please let me know if I can be of service! I just recently moved and am still without internet access at home (the horror!), but I trust I will be online when I get home tonight!! -
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Permalink Reply by Greg Hluska on
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Please note - if I am not online when I get home tonight, you may get to read about me in the news..."Canadian wacko runs through the streets, lies down in fetal position, starts to cry."
My Mom will be so proud...;-) -
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Permalink Reply by Manoel J. Silva on -
Hi Tony,
On the Joomla! Resources Section, the 3rd link should point to the Joomla! Forums [3] (http://forum.joomla.org/) , but instead is pointing to the Joomla Community (http://community.joomla.org/)
You're doing a great job!
Thank you!
Manoel
Tony Davis said:Please comment on this Joomla Quick Start guide.
It has been an interesting and informative exercise. Next product will be some sample pages for documentation of 1.6 and some guidance on how to build them. -
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Permalink Reply by Tony Davis on
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Thank you Greg
Voice - I am on it. However, my major goal is to understand the process involved in quickly constructing a User Manual. Nearly there.
Information Hierarchy - It seems that there are folk here who consider beginners to include first time web site builders, first time designers, first time extension builders, first time core contributors, etc. I have found thinking about this confusing and have opted for a smorgasbord approach.
#2 I would love to cooperate with you on this very topic which is dear to my heart. And, I believe, 1.6 will prove very beneficial for this sector.
Greg Hluska said:. . .
(1) A quick copy-edit for voice and clarity ;-) (2) Information hierarchy - when I put myself into a beginner's shoes, I find myself asking, "What should I read/watch first??"
#2 is quite difficult because I have yet to find a really strong piece of written documentation that will take someone brand new, hold their hand and introduce them to the world of Joomla 1.5. I have been working on a document specifically geared towards not-for-profits with limited technical skills (and extremely limited budgets), but I'm still a solid week or two away from having anything suitable for review. With some luck, it will prove useful to the community as a large.
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Permalink Reply by Tony Davis on
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Manoel, thank you. It is changed.
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Permalink Reply by Oleg Nesterov on -
Tony, thank you so much, this is a great approach.
I agree with comments, that this is a really hard task to guide people where to start from and make it right. So one notice: I think the page contains too much information for a beginner. I believe the "first level" of knowledge should be narrower. Maybe some kind of the flow from one link to another one. What do you think? -
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Permalink Reply by Greg Hluska on
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Tony:
Thank you very much for the reply - sorry I have been away for so long. Non-virtual life got in the way!
I would love any and all help in my little quest to help introduce more not-for profits to open source technology. And I would like to offer my help to you as well. Strong documents and quick start guides are a wonderful resource and I would be proud to contribute in whatever way I can.
To that end, I wonder what would happen with multiple getting started guides? In my mind, someone who needs to put his/her first page online is going to have dramatically different needs than someone who wants to program his/her first extension.
Tony Davis said:Thank you Greg
Voice - I am on it. However, my major goal is to understand the process involved in quickly constructing a User Manual. Nearly there. Information Hierarchy - It seems that there are folk here who consider beginners to include first time web site builders, first time designers, first time extension builders, first time core contributors, etc. I have found thinking about this confusing and have opted for a smorgasbord approach.
#2 I would love to cooperate with you on this very topic which is dear to my heart. And, I believe, 1.6 will prove very beneficial for this sector.
Oleg:
How would you feel about a category based information design on the first page, with main links to some very broad topics/chapters? Something like...
I. Getting Ready (with information about installing Xampp/Bitnami, system requirements, links to info on hosts, etc)
II. Installing Joomla, screen-by-screen
III. Tour of Joomla (with stops in global configuration, sections, categories, and other such voodoo)
IV. Your Very First Article
V. Your Very First Menu
VI. Templates
VII. Extensions
VIII. Human Friendly URLs (aka SEF, whatever that means)
IX. More Resources
Oleg Nesterov said:Tony, thank you so much, this is a great approach.
I agree with comments, that this is a really hard task to guide people where to start from and make it right. So one notice: I think the page contains too much information for a beginner. I believe the "first level" of knowledge should be narrower. Maybe some kind of the flow from one link to another one. What do you think? -
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Permalink Reply by Oleg Nesterov on
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Greg, that makes sense.
The start guide I would love to see is something that is logical — i.e. it can be read from the beginning till end clearly. As a beginner I shouldn't be confused about "what's to read next" or "these 3 pages have similar information". I shouldn't be lost. In my opinion, this is one of the most nerve-racking issues of many start guides. -
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