[ZWeb] Zope.org feedback: Zope Documentation

Trevor Toenjes zope@toenjes.com
Mon, 15 Apr 2002 00:13:01 -0400


I agree about the Python connection.
This should be inluded in the primary description of zope on the zope.org
homepage with a link to http://python.org/

And I agree that the The Zope Book needs to include headings in each Chapter
to make the index and search more granular.  I dont know if this is an issue
for the current project.  Paul?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: zope-web-admin@zope.org [mailto:zope-web-admin@zope.org]On Behalf
> Of alan runyan
> Sent: Sunday, April 14, 2002 3:55 PM
> To: Paul Everitt; james whitcomb (via www.zope.org)
> Cc: Zope.org Mailinglist
> Subject: Re: [ZWeb] Zope.org feedback: Zope Documentation
>
>
> sorry to step in.  but i have a strong opinion on this topic.
>
> > Before starting, could you give me a listing of the five things you like
> > most about the documentation at the PHP site, along with some URLs?  It
> > will be a little be apples-and-oranges, though: your needs from the PHP
> > site are more advanced than your needs from the Zope site.
>
> I would like to pipe up.   People come to ZOPE thinking its a
> language like
> PHP.  It is not.  It uses Python.
> Most people have not heard of python.  We need to make them
> understand this
> in 2 sentences or less.
> If you look at the PHP manual, it looks similiar to the Python Manual.
> Because... well, they are both *languages*.
>
> Turning to the ZOPE Book.  Which you basically have to read an entire
> chapter.  because there are no further units besides chapters.
> People want
> to find out about metal:block.  for instance, how do they do
> that?  read the
> entire PageTemplates chapter?
>
> I have always wanted to see a Zope version of:
> http://www.php.net/manual/en/
> http://www.commandprompt.com/ppbook/
> http://www.mysql.com/documentation/mysql/bychapter/
>
> compare those layouts to:  http://www.zope.org/Documentation/ZopeBook/
>
> I have always wanted to goto a screen and see *all the pagetemplate* tal
> directives or metal directives.
> this doesnt really exist.  and what does exist is lost in WikiMadness.
>
> > We're making a big push to better organize the large amount of Zope
> > documentation.  We could use some input from someone new to the site.
>
> I dont think it takes someone new to ZOPE.  One of the reasons I
> do so much
> w/ zopelabs is because I need a place to put things I commonly use.  It
> itself has fallen into disorganization and only if you are persistent or
> know how to search it (me, for instance) -- can you really go directly to
> the gold.
>
>
> > To answer your question, have you seen the Zope Book and Zope Developer
> > Guide:
> >
> >    http://www.zope.org/Documentation/ZopeBook/
> >    http://www.zope.org/Documentation/ZDG/
> >
> > Perhaps that is more information than you are looking for.
>
> I dont think its *more* information than he is looking for.  its just the
> sections are not broken up into any smaller sections.  for instance
> tal/metal directives.  or all the dtml tags.  or SESSIONS.  speaking of
> SESSIONs, try this:  how many clicks does it take to find out how
> to set/get
> variables from a SESSION object?
>
> now I urge you to goto http://www.php.net/manual/en/ and try to find
> information about SESSION handling.
>
> this I believe is a perfect experiment to find out how the typical person
> *uses* documentation.
>
> cheers,
> ~runyaga
>
>
>
>
>
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