Help:Editing

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=== Stylistic and Editing Policies for the [[Main_Page|NeoWiki]] === === Stylistic and Editing Policies for the [[Main_Page|NeoWiki]] ===
- +<!-- from the main page talk part --[[User:Jake|Jake]] 12:13, 2 May 2005 (CDT) -->
[[User:Jake|Jake]] had some rules on the old wiki. They went something like: [[User:Jake|Jake]] had some rules on the old wiki. They went something like:
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* Always add a comment (summary) of your change. * Always add a comment (summary) of your change.
* Join us in [[Talk:Main_Page]] for more rules and the latest wiki-team info! * Join us in [[Talk:Main_Page]] for more rules and the latest wiki-team info!
 +
 +== Style/Formatting Guide ==
 +
 +Do we need to have a "style guide" to standardize how we represent certain functions or types of info?
 +
 +We have three "regular editors" now, plus a fair amount of legacy content from the old wiki (which had another handful of editors/contributors). We seem to represent only one type of thing consistently among the three of us + legacy content:
 +
 +*<tt>paths</tt> (incl. paths ending with a filename) or <tt>terminal commands</tt>
 +
 +Other things seem to vary widely:
 +
 +*Menus submenus (: or -> or something else)
 +
 +*Menus (standalone in text, i.e., Choose the Tools menu--sometimes '''boldface''')
 +
 +*Filenames (standalone--seem to be mostly <tt>typewriter</tt> or '''boldface''')
 +
 +*"Dialogue/window titles" or "Preference Option Name" (sometimes '''boldface''', sometimes in "quotes")
 +
 +Should we agree on a wiki style for the latter types and adhere to it from here on out, and clean up the older stuff as we get time or modify those article?
 +
 +--[[User:Sardisson|sardisson]] 04:27, 29 Apr 2005 (CDT)
 +
 +Good question. Having worked on a Gentoo wiki or too, i have to say I was impressed with their [http://gentoo-wiki.com/Template_Listing templates] that give a unified look to the whole thing. I think a style guide is not a bad idea.. here are some suggestions.
 +
 +# bold all filenames, menu items, application names, or any text string that appears on-screen. this will facilitate readability tremendously, especially when following instructions.
 +# put "pre" or "tt" tags around all typed Terminal commands (or use something similar to the gentoo templates.)
 +# When describing procedures to be done that involve rooting through menus, list the menu items in the order they appear to the user. for example: "In the menu bar, under the '''File''' item, select '''Save'''."
 +# I think that writing directions out in English has several advantages over the "Item 1 > Item 2" method of indicating options/navigation. For one thing, there is not much room for misunderstanding when you say "Make sure that the '''whatever''' radio button is selected." or "Press the '''Ok''' button to continue." Also, it is more accessible, I think, to a newbie user who may not be familiar with the 'item->item' shorthand.
 +# When issuing a series of instructions, I think it's always a good idea to express to the user what will happen next, ie "Press the '''Ok''' button. A window labeled '''Preferences''' will appear."
 +
 +I'm sure I'll think of more style stuff... this is just a start.. I think the gentoo wiki templates really help unify the site and the navigation stuff facilitates site organization and helps you get around easily.
 +
 +--[[User:Waldo|Waldo]] 04:46, 29 Apr 2005 (CDT)
 +
 +FWIW here is a [http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Update_to_GNOME_2.10 sample HOWTO] I wrote for gentoo. This was the first one I wrote, and it was really easy w/the templates... see how it fits w/the entire site?
 +
 +--[[User:Waldo|Waldo]] 05:25, 29 Apr 2005 (CDT)
 +
=== Sandbox === === Sandbox ===
[[User:Jake|Jake]] established the [[Test]] page for everyone to use to try out editing and wiki techniques without fear of messing up any of the existing pages. If you want to experiment with how the wiki works, do so on that page. [[User:Jake|Jake]] established the [[Test]] page for everyone to use to try out editing and wiki techniques without fear of messing up any of the existing pages. If you want to experiment with how the wiki works, do so on that page.

Revision as of 17:13, 2 May 2005

Contents

Information on Editing and Wiki Syntax

  • From the Media Wiki site
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Help:Editing
  • From the Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:How_to_edit_a_page

Stylistic and Editing Policies for the NeoWiki

had some rules on the old wiki. They went something like:

  • Keep the pages short. If a page is long, it probably contains too many subjects and should be split into two or more pages.
  • MediaWiki splits title words on underscores. Name new pages with a descriptive title.
NeoJInfo is a bad page name/title.
Information_about_NeoOffice/J or NeoOffice/J_Information are good page names/titles.
  • Always add a comment (summary) of your change.
  • Join us in Talk:Main_Page for more rules and the latest wiki-team info!

Style/Formatting Guide

Do we need to have a "style guide" to standardize how we represent certain functions or types of info?

We have three "regular editors" now, plus a fair amount of legacy content from the old wiki (which had another handful of editors/contributors). We seem to represent only one type of thing consistently among the three of us + legacy content:

  • paths (incl. paths ending with a filename) or terminal commands

Other things seem to vary widely:

  • Menus submenus (: or -> or something else)
  • Menus (standalone in text, i.e., Choose the Tools menu--sometimes boldface)
  • Filenames (standalone--seem to be mostly typewriter or boldface)
  • "Dialogue/window titles" or "Preference Option Name" (sometimes boldface, sometimes in "quotes")

Should we agree on a wiki style for the latter types and adhere to it from here on out, and clean up the older stuff as we get time or modify those article?

--sardisson 04:27, 29 Apr 2005 (CDT)

Good question. Having worked on a Gentoo wiki or too, i have to say I was impressed with their templates that give a unified look to the whole thing. I think a style guide is not a bad idea.. here are some suggestions.

  1. bold all filenames, menu items, application names, or any text string that appears on-screen. this will facilitate readability tremendously, especially when following instructions.
  2. put "pre" or "tt" tags around all typed Terminal commands (or use something similar to the gentoo templates.)
  3. When describing procedures to be done that involve rooting through menus, list the menu items in the order they appear to the user. for example: "In the menu bar, under the File item, select Save."
  4. I think that writing directions out in English has several advantages over the "Item 1 > Item 2" method of indicating options/navigation. For one thing, there is not much room for misunderstanding when you say "Make sure that the whatever radio button is selected." or "Press the Ok button to continue." Also, it is more accessible, I think, to a newbie user who may not be familiar with the 'item->item' shorthand.
  5. When issuing a series of instructions, I think it's always a good idea to express to the user what will happen next, ie "Press the Ok button. A window labeled Preferences will appear."

I'm sure I'll think of more style stuff... this is just a start.. I think the gentoo wiki templates really help unify the site and the navigation stuff facilitates site organization and helps you get around easily.

--Waldo 04:46, 29 Apr 2005 (CDT)

FWIW here is a sample HOWTO I wrote for gentoo. This was the first one I wrote, and it was really easy w/the templates... see how it fits w/the entire site?

--Waldo 05:25, 29 Apr 2005 (CDT)


Sandbox

established the Test page for everyone to use to try out editing and wiki techniques without fear of messing up any of the existing pages. If you want to experiment with how the wiki works, do so on that page.

Retrieved from "https://neowiki.neooffice.org/index.php/Help:Editing"
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