Just checking in

[codenaught]

Hey all, it is your favorite person on SMF, Ikimasho. Who? Yeah it is just me, akabugeyes. I changed my display name to Ikimasho recently. I have no idea why. I guess I just wanted to be a bit different for a little while. Yes, I will probably go back to akabugeyes at some point. Anyways, apparently Ikimasho is Japanese for "Let's Go." Weird, but akabugeyes is weird as well, so it's not too weird for me.

So what has Ikimasho been up to? Not much worth mentioning. If I mention too much I know others will stop reading this soon, but if I mention nothing at all, I also know people will be just a little annoyed at me for reading this much without having a point. So I will just mention that I will be quite busy the next 3 weeks. I have a couple of exams coming up that I really need to study for. Meaning you (hopefully) won't be seeing much of me around here for a little while. Does this mean SMF will be in rabid chaos, disorder and unrest? Probably, but I'm sure I'll be able to fix it when I am back in full force.

To end this little blog entry with style, I will throw in a little survey, at absolutely no cost for you to particpate in (honest)!

• What does documentation mean to you?
• What's the most needed documentation currently missing from the Online Manual? Could include something that's there, but lacks detail.
• How often do you use the OM? Which sections do you look at most frequently?
• How happy are you with everything ignoring the content of the OM? Including things such as the usage of SMF for the software, the design of it, and the current organization of it.
• Do you think this survey is stupid, and if so, why are you answering the survey then?

[metallica48423]

What does documentation mean to you?

To me, the documentation is sometimes the key to understanding some of the more minute things SMF includes.  Obviously the best way to learn is to poke at it, prod it, and yes, break it, to understand what something is.  As far as my Support Team Apprenticeship goes, its a valuable resource to read over and grab a better understanding of something.

What's the most needed documentation currently missing from the Online Manual? Could include something that's there, but lacks detail.

This may be a more personalized answer, but I really feel there should be documentation of the database structure and the like in the manual.  Many people, sometimes including myself, are afraid of messing something up going into PHPmyadmin (given that its easy to do!) so in that way, it could, perhaps be stifling creative efforts, as well as be creating more support issues?  Just my opinion. But hey, thats what surveys are for!

How often do you use the OM? Which sections do you look at most frequently?

Frequently, if not daily.  I have several common links (ie, manual installation of mods, moving smf to a new server, etc) that i find myself referring to on what seems to be a daily basis.  i'd have to say the 'into the depths of smf' section.

How happy are you with everything ignoring the content of the OM? Including things such as the usage of SMF for the software, the design of it, and the current organization of it.

The Usage of the wiki style is very useful for organizing data.  Finding information seems to be fairly easy to do, and it looks damn good. Id have to say on an 8-10 scale, probably 8 or 9 in terms of happiness with the overall design.

Do you think this survey is stupid, and if so, why are you answering the survey then?

I think we must resign ourselves to the fact that, someone is going to think this survey is stupid.  We must also accept that few people are going to probably answer it.  This survey serves a purpose though, which is why i answered it.

[Gary]

What does documentation mean to you?

Work.

Do you think this survey is stupid, and if so, why are you answering the survey then?

Depends on how stupid the writer of it is.

[Daniel15]

What does documentation mean to you?

Documentation is somewhere to point users when they need help with something

What's the most needed documentation currently missing from the Online Manual?

Definitely coding documentation. There's not that much documentation on how to write mods, how database stuff is handled, where user data is loaded, which function does what, how SMF's template layer system works, etc.

How often do you use the OM?

Quite often

Which sections do you look at most frequently?

Everything.

How happy are you with everything ignoring the content of the OM? Including things such as the usage of SMF for the software, the design of it, and the current organization of it.

I'd prefer to have an actual Wiki (so we'd have edit history, etc), but the current one is still alright. Design was by Bloc, so it's obviously awesome
Some minor things I'm annoyed with . The board listing (eg. http://docs.simplemachines.org/index.php?board=5.0;sort=subject) don't seem to have the topics in any particular order, and there's no indication on whether something is a child board or a topic itself (eg. on http://docs.simplemachines.org/index.php?board=5.0;sort=subject, "BB Codes" goes to a child board, whereas "Help" is an article itself).
Also, in my opinion, the board listings look too "plain" (just a list of links... No descriptions, and heaps of whitespace to the right).

Do you think this survey is stupid

No, not really

and if so, why are you answering the survey then?

I got bored

[codenaught]

Wow I didn't think anyone would respond to the survey. Thanks for the responses.

Just a quick note:

I do not intend to be logged on to SMF once during Monday through Thursday (I will probably be on a little bit on Friday). So don't try hacking the OM or exploiting security holes in my mods.

It's been fun lately here, but I can only echo what I have said to other team members and what they have said to me so many times before, real life comes first. I got some serious exams coming up that are very important.

This shall be my last post until Friday. So, so long everyone!

[metallica48423]

Best of luck with the exams

[Harro]

Good luck with your examens!
I know they can be a pain!

And a little thing to read once you come back:

What does documentation mean to you?
Good resource for new SMF users and good to link too in the hundreds of support topics about the same thing

What's the most needed documentation currently missing from the Online Manual? Could include something that's there, but lacks detail.
Information on packaging mods could be a little better.
And there is also a small error in that section.

How often do you use the OM? Which sections do you look at most frequently?
Mostly use it to help somebody in the support forums.
Personally I look the most at creating mods & themes docs.

How happy are you with everything ignoring the content of the OM? Including things such as the usage of SMF for the software, the design of it, and the current organization of it.
It's good!
The design, the content,...
To bad so many new users don't look at it...

Do you think this survey is stupid, and if so, why are you answering the survey then?
Yes... very stupid.... 
And why I'm answering it? Problbly because I'm even more stupid 

[Daniel15]

Good luck with your exams!