Keeping the wiki and keeping it accessable to new users
 

I just read about the forthcoming change and I'd like to offer the following observations.

While I applaude the intent to expand and improve internettablettalk, and give my sincere thanks to all involved, I feel that merging ITT with maemo.org could be a very bad thing for new users.

Internettablettalk (ITT) is geared to users and is where I get most, maybe all, of my news, support and howtos for the tablet. Even as an experienced computer user with various OSes, I get the distinct impression that maemo.org is a DEVELOPER site. For example, take a look at maemo's home page from the point of view of a new user. The title of the homepage (and by implication, the theme of the whole site) is 'Open source development'. At this point my new user mother is already backing out. But wait, there's hope - A 'Tutorials' link... nope, more developer stuff.

OK, lets try the 'OS2008 User site' - that's got to be good right? Nope - I get to a Nokia page advertising the various devices. There is a 'Make it yours' link, so I think I can find all the s/w available for the Nokia there. Hmmm, funny, it only lists 10 applications. By now I'd be thinking I've bought a pretty limited device!

My point is that the 'integration' into the developers site isnt going to be a good thing - at least not unless its well thought out from (and obvious to) a new users perspective.

As for the wiki, getting rid of the ITT wiki would be a very bad idea - comparing the ITT wiki with the Maemo users wiki shows that the ITT wiki is much more geared to new users and has, IMO, much more info. The Maemo users wiki page is more of an index page. If these are to be merged I respectfully suggest that the 'ITT wiki' is retained as the user homepage, and the 'Maemo wiki' "index" could be expanded to index the combination of all the articles.

New users should have a welcoming (not developers) greeting, be able to easily find thier way to new software and get help - think of your less computer savvy friends trying to get to grips with it on there own!

Please note that I'm not denigrating this change, I'm just very concerned that ITT doesn't become subsumed into maemo and get lost iin the process, along with lots of good info.

Re: Keeping the wiki and keeping it accessable to new users
 

All of this is based off the old site design, so I'd hold your judgement until you see the new one (should be live in the next few weeks).

You should also know that the real "user's" site will shortly be going live on maemo.nokia.com.

Re: Keeping the wiki and keeping it accessable to new users
 

Thanks Ryan. It's good to know that the maemo site itself is getting reorganised. It sounds like it's now going to be much more user focussed, which will be a great thing. :)

The new users site sounds interesting.

Good luck to everyone working on these changes.

Re: Keeping the wiki and keeping it accessable to new users
 

See http://wiki.maemo.org/Task:Improving_maemo.org

There is even a live site where the changes are being implemented but it's Sunday morning and my brain doesn't recall the URL.

Re: Keeping the wiki and keeping it accessable to new users