[ZDP] New Site Design

[Maik Roeder]

Hi Chris !


Chris Withers wrote:
> 
> > > Can you change the "width=600" for the main table to be "width=100%"?
> > > It would make more use of my browser...
> >
> > I18N, L10N and P12N comes later (is already envisioned).
>
> Sorry, what do these mean?

Internationalisation, Localisation and Personalisation.
 
> > This is going to be possible. I would like to eliminate the existing
> > DraftSubmissionFolders, and put the Drafts under the Subjects/Topics.
> > This way you can see that something is already done on this Subject/Topic,
> > but it is not yet ready, and you can comment on it. Have you noticed that
> > the Subject/Topic Hierarchy almost acts like the ZCL ?
> 
> If I understood more about ZCL then maybe ;-)

This is the ZBook Content Library. It's a listing of all topics that
will need a chapter in the ZBook. I just figured that by putting the
Drafts in the Topics directly you can emulate such a beast.
 
> > I am not sure which is the best way for documents that are not hosted on
> > ZDP. At the moment I think that it would be ok to put the links inside the
> > Subject/Topic Hierarchy, because this changes all the time.
> 
> Well, you have two options:
> 
> link to them - easier
> copy them - more difficult (possible copyright stuff) but much safer

I vote for links that point to 100% good information resource that
discuss the Subject or Topic at hand. This way we can give some added
value without having the content on site.
 
> What about a web sucker of some description for this? ZClient?
> 
> > > Couldn't check this out 'cos I'm not a member :(
> >
> > Will make you a member.
> 
> Tom beat you to it ;-)

;-)
 
> > > Apart from that, it looks great. I think the key is to get everything currently
> > > available in the way of documentation into, or referenced from, ZDP and then
> > > persuade DC to make the 'documentation' link on zope.org point to zdp.zope.org
> > > rather than zope.org/documentation ;-)
> >
> > That's a good point ;-)
> 
> To be honest, I think it is the only reason why ZDP isn't more prominent.
> I had this rant before so I'll keep it brief now. Until ZDP is the only source
> for Zope documentation, there's no pressure for it to be right or complete.
> If it's not right or complete, no-one uses it.

With the introduction of the Links to search engines under the Subjects and
Topics, I think we have a very powerful tool. I have opened the adding
of subjects and topics for Anonymous. This way we can grow chaotically
until all interesting topics and subjects are there. Once people start
using this system, drop in discussions and draft folders, and you have
a brainstorming system capable of producing collaboratively written
documents. I really believe that by navigating to a subject and topic
you are interested in, then finding out that the ZDP does not carry the
documentation does not matter at all ! We can give a short abstract on
the topic, maybe some links, and that's it basically. Everything else
can be found on the web. People should be encouraged to come back and
contribute any newly found knowledge on the topic and subject, and other
people can profit from the accumulating knowledge. 

> We've got to break that vicious circle somehow and referencing all docs is half
> of this. The other half is that DC has to make ZDP the primary documentation
> providers.

We need to get together a critical mass of users, then the pressure will
be high enough. Or, in fact it will not matter any more, because the Zope
Documentation Portal will be the starting page of every Zope user. We 
just need to tell people to check out the Portal, and they will see the benefit
at once. I would say that this is sort of an Aha-effect, where you say
whow ! this is great ! I will return, and start all my searches on the
subject of Zope from here !
 
> > [snip the part about Versioning]
> > > Sorry if this has been discussed already, but I'm new to this ZDP thing.
> > > Let me know if it makes sense/is possible/needs work/etc
> >
> > Please add this as a Task to the ZDP Projects Task Folder. Then put
> > a DiscussionFolder inside. In the DiscussionFolder make a statement
> > and ask on the mailing list for comments.
> 
> Do you mean to /projects/zdptools/tasks/ ?
> If so, I'll do it, but nto until I get an 'OK' 'cos the ZDP management interface
> is just a little intimidating for a newbie to ZDP like me :-)

Don't worry, you may have noticed that we value chaos and creativity
more than rigidity and control.
 
Thanks a lot for your comments and proposals !

Best regards,

Maik Röder