[Zope] The agony of the ZOPE Documentation

[Amos Latteier]

> I'm sorry, but I have to say, the ZOPE documentation, despite efforts
> to improve it, is absolutely, positively horrible.  Not because the
> content isn't there, but because the tools to access it simply suck.
> I can type in searches on both zope.org and zdp.zope.org and though I
> KNOW the information is there, I can't get the results I want!
> Constantly, when I am recommending ZOPE to people, the ONE 
> thing I and 
> they complain about is the horrible documentation!

I know that Zope's documentation is frustrating. However, I generally
find searches on Zope.org to be helpful. I've forwarded your concerns to
the Zope.org webmaster.

I'd like to share some what Michel Pelletier and I have been doing to
improve Zope documentation.

  * We conducted a poll to help us determine what was most needed. We
found out that Zope docs are of middling quality and folks most want new
user help.

  * We wrote an online help system for Zope and wrote help content for
all management screens. Right now we are updating this content for Zope
2.2. The help system will ship with Zope 2.2 and an alpha is available
right now.

  * We've started a Zope API documentation process. Right now there is
an extensive Zope API documentation wiki on Zope.org. The fruits of this
labor will be API docs that will ship with Zope in the online help
system. Right now several API docs are complete and are included in the
current 2.2 alpha.

  * We've overhauled Zope training materials and will make them
available publicly in the next week or so.

  * We're still working on Zope Guides and References replacements. I
think that the training materials will be quite useful for this effort.
I hope to have Guide and Reference replacements done by the end of the
summer.

Thanks for listening.

If you have specific comments or questions about Zope documentation,
please don't hesitate to let me know at docs@digicool.com

-Amos

--
Amos Latteier         mailto:amos@digicool.com
Digital Creations     http://www.digicool.com