qgil - As a n00b (albeit an N810 n00b because I lack the cash for the N900) I think that's a great idea.

zerojay and sjgadsb - I have also suggested resurrecting/highlighting the Newbie forum in another thread (http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=32110). To me, the fact that there are now 12 pages of posts on that thread indicates one of the problems that we n00bs face - too much information. Searching for an answer is often difficult and being rebuked because we missed the answer which is somewhere within some thread in some forum is discouraging.

mikec - Internet Tablet 101 was very useful to me, being an N810 user, but an N900 user coming across it would see something that, based on the title and the two year old date, doesn't appear relevant. The Wiki can be very useful if you find it. I would suggest it be highlighted in the top navigation bar or as a link on the right navigation column or as a drop down under FAQ on the right (i.e. FAQ opens up a drop down menu with "Talk FAQ" and "Maemo Wiki").

It would also be helpful to have a decent Google-based search for the forum, like the one I have as a Newbie link in my sig, in the place currently occupied by a terrible Search engine in the top right of the page.

We've been through this before, and I was told it was debated and decided against, but it hits me as crazy not to have the User Wiki as a main link at the same top level as Intro Downloads Community Development News Talk.

So while I was compiling my huge list of Very Basic Questions I suddenly remembered a little app I used to have on my treo in the way-back-when and I though "I wonder if anyone has thought of doing that in maemo?" But I can't find where to make the suggestion. In Apps? In 'fremantle'? In 'n900'? It's not a widget (I don't think) so not there...

And I still think a simple thread for "Will it do X? and if so how?" for n00bs is the easiest way to go.

i find combining the "search" and "search this thread" usually is an effective way to find answers here. it did however take some time before i found the "search this thread" option, and i suspect many newcomers might not realise this way of finding answers.

Compare it to the Google search (the Newbie link) in my signature. Even with the combination you've pointed out (which, I agree, is sometimes useful), or with Maemo.org's own "Advanced Search," I'm still far more successful with the Google search.

Actually, the most useful search is to click on the Search drop down menu on the right and select Advanced Search. But, again, my problem tends to be figuring out which results are relevant.

For example, a basic n00b question - how should I shut my Nxxx down? There are literally hundreds of posts on multiple threads which address this. Unfortunately, they don't agree and the many of the threads seem to have degenerated into religious wars. What I have never seen is someone with a knowledge of Maemo/Linux and any of the Nxxx device internals post test results showing how rapidly the battery drains under various conditions versus how much it drains shutting down and powering up. It's probably there somewhere but after an hour of looking I couldn't find it.

Another problem for n00bs is what is still applicable? This is going to get worse with the N900. If I see a problem and solution/workaround, does that apply to my device? Was it fixed in Diablo? in Fremantle? It's even worse with apps whose thread spans many years and many versions.

Search can only go so far. The Wiki helps when it provides a single canonical answer. But we also need a n00b/dummies/poohbear forum where responders practice tolerance even when two threads in a row ask the same dumb question.

I'm in much of the same n00b situation as the OP, having just in the last few weeks become aware of maemo and N900. While drooling over the prospects of buying a N900, I have bought an N810. I'm wondering about it all; how to use the devices, what goodies are on offer and how do I go about creating my wanted widgets and applications that I could possibly try to develop myself.

Using a lot of time, roaming around on the site and the many discussions, I'm gradually finding anwers. However, it would have helped me a lot, if there initially were some information available showing/explaining the overall structure of the maemo.org site.

I first looked under the top leftmost tab "Intro" which first met my eye - to no avail.

The "Intro" tab should (also) say something about the main components of the maemo.org site, and how they can and is supposed to be used:

E.g. There is actually a Wiki - and what's in it. Theres is also Brainstorm - how is it used, what's the functon, what should be put there - and what should one rather use Talk for. How does talk, brainstorm, bugzilla, garage and the new maemo.gitorious.org play together - and where are we expected to channel our questions, suggestions (and dear I also say complaints?) ?

There is Downloads, repositories, Garage, Gitorious and Nokia sites. Where should we search for interesting stuff - what status does it have, what to expect? (Take into account that there is quite likely that maemo could be new users first encounter with communities and open source development.)
Oh, yes, definitely. In addition to the transitory phase due to new device and version in the pipeline, it also seems that maemo.org itself is in transition, not only due to advent of ver 5 and N900, but also to ongoing(?) project of restructuring the site.

I believe that now to focus efforts towards enabling new users to better serve themself from all the good stuff that actually is already available at the site, will save efforts for those in the know, and reduce much frustration for those in the need - and the sooner we n00bs will (be able to) come here not to just to get, but also to contribute.

There are some good meta information around, but it should be gathered, expanded and served smack in the eye of new users. Those who are not new, will normally know their way around - it is new users who foremost need the help they can get from an inviting and informative site structure.

PS. To illustrate - although it perhaps says the most about myself - but it took me quite some time to find Brainstorm, which I saw many references to in discussions on Talk and which I performed a search for. Also a couple of weeks got by - too many interesting discussions in Talk to review first - before I got to the Wiki and the many helpful pointers it does provide to information I needed.

The intro is historical from when maemo.org was a different place. Hopefully somebody will get around to re-writing it soon (could be you!).

Nobody else is shocked that bears are typing now?



I second GeraldKo, the maemo.org google search is where it's at, mainly cuz you get the results in "google-form", which allow you to see a sample of the text where the search phrase was found.