The reason it may be a problem is that often when I don't have an internet connection, I need to know how to use an applications that have not yet learned how to use or am experiencing problems with. Though most are self-explanatory, some app are more complex and, when using this method, I can't use them or solve the problem until I get and internet connection. As I previously mention, if there was an easy way to download the documentation for offline use, then this method would work. Until there is a way to access the internet from *everywhere* this, at least in my opinion, this won't work.
On Fri, Jul 9, 2010 at 12:01 PM, Kyle Nitzsche <kyle.nitzs...@canonical.com>wrote: > Hi Jason? > > On 07/09/2010 06:32 AM, Jason Cook wrote: > >> I think that a cloud based solution is a great idea. But for mobile users >> this would a problem. >> > Why do you think a web/cloud-based help system a problem for mobile users? > > > One possible solution would be to include *all* of the content that is >> available online in a repository that *gets updated when the contents on the >> web changes*. Then is is not just static and can be redesigned. If the >> downloaded format was HTML, then this would not require another application. >> I think that a cloud based solution would be great, but there needs to be a >> easy way to download all of that content locally. >> >> On Wed, Jul 7, 2010 at 8:30 PM, Jim Campbell <jwcampb...@gmail.com<mailto: >> jwcampb...@gmail.com>> wrote: >> >> Hi All, >> >> On Wed, Jul 7, 2010 at 6:34 PM, Shaun McCance <sha...@gnome.org >> <mailto:sha...@gnome.org>> wrote: >> >> On Wed, 2010-07-07 at 17:13 -0400, Kyle Nitzsche wrote: >> > >> >> http://mdzlog.alcor.net/2010/07/06/weve-packaged-all-of-the-free-software-what-now/ >> >> [snip] >> >> > With which I agree in general. >> > * on-disk docs might effectively be limited to only what is >> necessary to >> > get started and get connected to the web (localized, of course). >> > * run-time help links might instead display appropriate >> content in the >> > browser. >> >> [snip] >> >> > Naturally, there are disadvantages, such as: >> > * no internet connection = no help (beyond the minimal >> on-disk help) >> > * umm.. any other disadvantages? >> >> A greater disconnect between applications and their help. Our >> traditional help consists of islands of documents that are >> largely separate from the applications they document. >> >> One of my current projects is a library for deeply integrating >> help into applications. (It was Phil's idea, although he might >> not realize it.) Imagine help buttons and menus automatically >> populated with the most relevant content, searching for help >> directly in the help menu, and on-board help blurbs that come >> directly from the help and link into it for more information. >> >> These are the sorts of things that user assistance professionals >> are dreaming about, but most help tool vendors are still stuck >> in the 90s. We have the opportunity to blaze new trails with >> free software. Stop playing catchup and make UA professionals' >> mouths water. >> >> It's possible to have this sort of deep integration with cloud >> content, but it's harder. I have no doubt that help will move >> more and more to the web, but then, applications will move more >> and more to the web as well. If we jump there too early without >> thinking about how to really improve things, we'll lock ourselves >> into an outdated and inadequate help model. >> >> -- >> Shaun >> >> >> To be fair, I don' t think that the two approaches to help have to >> be mutually exclusive. What Shaun is talking about is awesome >> application-level help. There will still be a need for people who >> want that help content in different formats, whether they be >> manuals or help that is searchable on the web. >> >> As for on-disk vs. cloud/web-based content, I think having more >> web-based content is necessary now. We would still have the >> option of keeping on-disk help relatively light. For example, we >> could not include (as many?) screenshots in on-disk help as would >> be available in other formats. >> >> Also, as far as I know, Ubuntu is one of the few distros that >> ships a good amount of on-disk help at all. Fedora just ships >> their release notes in the main install, and OpenSUSE (I think) >> just features some sort of getting-started guide. Both have their >> other help available for download on their websites. Does anybody >> know how RHEL and SUSE have theirs set up? Do they have much >> "distro-specific" help in the base install? >> >> As for Apple and Microsoft, they may have a good amount of on-disk >> help, but they don't concern themselves with fitting all of their >> OS and applications onto a 700mb CDROM. For base installs they >> have DVD's and having some of their content accessible via the web. >> >> I bring up those comparisons not necessarily to say, "Oh, they do >> it that way, so that way is the best way," or to say, "Just do it >> however X group / company is doing it," but to set realistic >> expectations for us. I want us to be mindful of bandwidth / >> offline-access issues like the ones that Phil W. brought up, and >> want to give room for Shaun's application-level help ideas, but a >> better web-presence for Ubuntu help would also be a big step forward. >> >> Jim >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-manual >> <https://launchpad.net/%7Eubuntu-manual> >> >> Post to : ubuntu-manual@lists.launchpad.net >> <mailto:ubuntu-manual@lists.launchpad.net> >> >> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-manual >> <https://launchpad.net/%7Eubuntu-manual> >> >> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp >> >> >> > > -- Jason Cook
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