garageCube

[anomad]

. there's been some talk about wanting a wiki for module programming tips/tricks or at least some updated documentation. if you had to make a choice, which would you prefer ?

[lotech]

Is there a platform that allows for easy joint documentation creation? I assumed that was what a wiki was in this case?
One things for sure - the wiki should be included as a pdf inside the modul8 install so its available offline.

[The Midi Thief]

Sorry, lotech, but that just goes against the nature of a Wiki. A Wiki is something ever growing that everybody can contribute to or change. Having a pdf of the Wiki would not make sense. I just assume Garagecube (or someone else) will put up one of the ready built wiki installations and we have to work with whatever functionality is in it. I think it's up to you if you want to use a tool that sucks down the Wiki pages from the web and turn them into a pdf.

I also have to point out the weakness of a Wiki is that you will never know for sure if the information presented in a Wiki as facts are actually true. That also goes with the nature of a Wiki since everybody can contribute.

[anomad]

. i lean towards a user contrib. documentation simply to maintain quality control and an overall lower administrative overhead. of course, it would be up the admin(s) to keep the document current.

. basically, i'd really think the entire community would benefit from a more centralized document where we can pass along our techniques and possibly inspire even more interesting functionality from modul8.


-james
(a nomad. )

[sigmasix]

I completely agree with the wiki way, but we should be able to quickly make a complete pdf so we can also include it with the application package.

We have a new printed documentation written by Ilan that will be released quite soon. This should be a starting point for the wiki content.

There is also an almost released online documentation for advanced modules creation that could be included somewhat someday.

I'll have to see with master boris when all this could happen, he seems to have big plans in his head but I don't know it yet.

[The Midi Thief]

Having observed how things works in this company and this community - I don't really see how a static document with user contribution would work? With the type of control needed to verify the contributed code and methods we would grab a lot of resources from Ilan, David and maybe even Boris. I don't see that it would work. I root for a more improvised Wiki with all strengths and weaknesses.

[anomad]

I don't see that it would work. I root for a more improvised Wiki with all strengths and weaknesses.

. good point. perhaps an official document that borrows heavily from the user wiki ?


-james
(a nomad. )

[The Midi Thief]

Yeah, the document can be the "Best of".

[ilan]

Back in the day when I was learning Lingo for Director there was the printed that you could not buy without buying the software unless one went to the NYU bookstore.

All the How-to Director books had almost no useful information in them for learning how to write Lingo scripts.

But there was one website, I recall it was 'Director-web' or something like that, and on it one could find the 'un-lingo' dictionary that listed all of the functions in Director that Macromedia never bothered to document.

There was no wiki back then not to mention everything else we did not have.

I propose that one of you on this thread start a wiki on one of the many free services out there.

What we need first is a rough outline, something like:

[list=]Basics
Importing media
Playback
Effects
Animation[/list]

etc.

Being that I am more detail oriented I will browse through what is added, fill in holes, correct grammar and adjust metaphors where necessary.

Note that there will be an official printed manual along with web based version. But until that happens I am more then happy to support DIY efforts so that everyone can start contributing/benefitting.

[The Midi Thief]

Ilan, you are still talking about a Wiki that only focuses on Module coding? Not a DIY manual for the entire Modul8?

[ilan]

The question then is: is it preferable to have them as two separate wikis?

[anomad]

. does anyone have experience using google docs for online document creation ? that might be a decent compromise ?

-james
(a nomad. )

[lotech]

I think it should be a single thing. If it starts getting unwieldy then you could fork it off to two separate wikis but starting with one allows us to all focus on one thing.

I imagine that some sections will be more technical (modules) while others are just an explanation of settings. One thing I think it needs though is the information already contained from the manual as a starting point.

[The Midi Thief]

I have to think a bit about how a Wiki really works. On one hand I don't like the idea of mixing advanced coding tips with rudimentary how to stuff if it dilutes the focus on code. But on the other hand, a Wiki is not organized in a way that one topic has to take away from another. I'm basing this on Wikipedia. I'm not sure all Wikis work the same way.

I think it is important to have a strong platform for the people dedicated to code modules and people that want to learn how to code them.

I kind of like how the manual on php.net works. On a page about a PHP command there will be an official explanation of the command and a few simple examples. Underneath users comment and contribute with their own code snippets. Example: http://se2.php.net/manual/en/function.substr.php
Unfortunately I don't know what they are running it on (well something made in PHP obviously but...).

[Edit:] If I could add something to the way the php manual pages works it would be to have the comments threaded so that they were easier to follow.

[lotech]

Keeping in mind other than Module coding there isn't too much of Modul8 that would be classified as advanced and in need of a separate entity. I'd assume there'd a module section (or two) which will be a normal explanation on how they work & info individual modules (ala the Manual) and then a more advanced and in depth section for people wanting to go on about the coding.
All this should still be in the one place.