Hi Clayton, 
Please do go ahead and write the kind of content you'd like to see.
Let your imagination go, and let your ideas flow.
Maybe focus on text first off, and then we can talk about graphics and
screenshots after? (Mac is OK-ish, Ubuntu fits perfectly with current
material, and Windows is a no-no for potential copyright reasons.)
David Nelson
True, but perhaps screenshots from Linux Mint would be better? After all, LM
is green, and that seems to be the current theme.
And I'll be fixing the grammatical errors, and then we can discuss layout
later, I like that idea.
One thing that I was going to mention (my main reason for joining this list actually) is the inconsistency between the application descriptions on the Why for...? pages.
Take Impress - described as a "A presentation", "Presentation" and "Presentation manager" on different pages. If we're describing the application, it should be something like Presentation manager or Presentation software, rather than just Presentation. That would describe the document produced by it. Same for the spreadsheet - Calc is a spreadsheet package, spreadsheet program and a spreadsheet application but is not a spreadsheet.
Then on the Why for NFPs and NGOs page, it describes tasks that the suite can do. "Word processor" is not a task nor is "Diagramming and charting tool". Better to make it like the other pages, and describe the applications contained within the suite IMO.
Clayton makes some good points about the need to get these right - this is where we're trying to sell the application to new users, so if it doesn't read right then we'll end up putting people off.
Jaxson Lee
Already working on it, I also noticed that. I also noticed that
the writer loved to mention the fact that it _CAN_ create professional
_LOOKING_ documents, as if it needed to be mentioned that software capable
of writing professional letters was hard to come by.
I also agree with you on the references, as well as filler sentences leading
nowhere.
One more thing I noticed was the personal style the writer chose, always
saying "they" and "you" and other words forcing LO down the readers throat.
I'm currently re-working the grammer and consistency, as well as removing
the redundancy. The actual content (or aim) isn't being changed, nor is the
layout and format (yet).
Clayton (Sky-) Walker
Hi Clayton,
True, but perhaps screenshots from Linux Mint would be better? After all, LM
is green, and that seems to be the current theme.
Sure, that's fine... Could you please maybe mail me one just to see
what it looks like?
So I guess you just read Jaxson? 
BTW, Jaxson, are you interested in working on some of the stuff in the
Features section? Jeremy Cartwright has currently "checked out"
Features > Writer, but would you maybe like to work on something else?
David Nelson
I'm... not... running it right now, maybe that's a question for the
community, but here's a few screenies.
http://cdn.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/linux-mint-499x383.jpg
http://www.linuxmint.com/pictures/screenshots/gloria/12.png
Hi Clayton,
Well, with the brown window frames, it actually looks not dissimilar
to Ubuntu, so that would be fine. But probably you can configure a Mac
to meet that same "constraint", too. I was just thinking about
avoiding breaking visually too much with the existing screenshots, but
it's not a big issue. The only *real* constraint is avoiding Windows
screenshots except where we can't.
David Nelson
What's the problem with Windows? Wouldn't Mac be the same then?
Hi,
What's the problem with Windows? Wouldn't Mac be the same then?
No, various project members asked me to not do Windows screenshots
because of us potentially being sued on a copyright issue. The only
exceptions ATM are the Windows installation instuctions and maybe
certain New Features and Fixes specific to Windows.
AFAIK, getting sued is not perceived as a risk with Apple.
David Nelson
Because they don't issue out their own productivity software? Or is it
because they aren't on such a sue spree? Doesn't matter either way, I get
your drift.
Also, did anybody get my suggested publishing? And is there any sort
of collaboration settings as well?
I'd love to get involved with the whole documentation process - I can't do anything other than the most basic coding, I can appreciate good design but can't design very well myself, but I do have good technical writing abilities. By work on, do you mean proof-read etc.? I'm not sure on how to go about anything at the moment.
Jaxson Lee
Hi Clayton,
Also, did anybody get my suggested publishing? And is there any sort
of collaboration settings as well?
I looked at your changes. They look fine. Feel free to develop the
content further? Expand a bit? I did see a typo, but corrected it...
You want to check for any more of those? If possible, try and avoid
line breaks and prefer using a full new paragraph?
I see you didn't take account of Jaxson's comments regarding the
application names? Did you see his suggestions in this thread? Maybe
fix that?
I upgraded your permissions to Publisher. You can now hit "Save and
Publish" and we'll all get an email notification of your publication.
HTH.
David Nelson
Hi Jaxson,
I'd love to get involved with the whole documentation process - I can't do
anything other than the most basic coding, I can appreciate good design but
can't design very well myself, but I do have good technical writing
abilities. By work on, do you mean proof-read etc.? I'm not sure on how to
go about anything at the moment.
You want to sign up for an account and I give you author permissions?
https://www.libreoffice.org/ForumMemberProfile/register
If so, tell me when you signed up and we can figure out some stuff for
you to work on if you like...
David Nelson
Awesome. Yes, I got all of the messages, however I did the fixes first. Then
for some reason went on and started correcting the layout. Then bastardized
it, but forgot to make it uniform (I would be looking at all of those pages,
choosing the best layout, and applying it to all of them from there.) Also,
the problem is redundancy. I would prefer it if all of the pages weren't the
same, except for the business page have one point that business related, and
one for home users, etc.
Also, regarding the typo, for some reason I couldn't find a spell checker
just in case. Have I overlooked something?
Hi Clayton,
Also, regarding the typo, for some reason I couldn't find a spell checker
just in case. Have I overlooked something?
Look for the ABC button in the toolbar.
Awesome. Yes, I got all of the messages, however I did the fixes first. Then
for some reason went on and started correcting the layout. Then bastardized
My advice would be to think about the draft principally now, and we'll
re-visit the layout later. Try and fit in with other site pages,
layout-wise: h2, p, ul - dead simple. Avoid direct formatting, it
would only make work later?
Feel free to re-write as if you think you have better ideas. The only
constraint would be to give a good answer to that question in the
title.
2 cents. HTH.
David Nelson
How about this format:
(Note that there will be consistences across the pages, with more specific
answers towards the bottom, ranked by importance. I will probably be keeping
the double bullet point feature for the explanation of the software. Or
perhaps only mention the specific pieces that are relevant to that user?)
LibreOffice boasts many *input specific boast here (i.e.
usable/stable/easy/complete/compatible)* features for *input user type
here".
- LibreOffice comes as a complete office suite, including
- A word processor
- A presenator
- etc...
- LibreOffice is free etc
- LibreOffice blah blah blah
~Fin
-Clayto(w)n Walker
Hi Clayton,
Jaxson commented:
"One thing that I was going to mention (my main reason for joining
this list actually) is the inconsistency between the application
descriptions on the Why for...? pages.
Take Impress - described as a "A presentation", "Presentation" and
"Presentation manager" on different pages. If we're describing the
application, it should be something like Presentation manager or
Presentation software, rather than just Presentation. That would
describe the document produced by it. Same for the spreadsheet - Calc
is a spreadsheet package, spreadsheet program and a spreadsheet
application but is not a spreadsheet.
Then on the Why for NFPs and NGOs page, it describes tasks that the
suite can do. "Word processor" is not a task nor is "Diagramming and
charting tool". Better to make it like the other pages, and describe
the applications contained within the suite IMO."
Me, I prefer: word processor, spreadsheet/spreadsheet package,
presentation manager, diagramming and charting package, formula
editor, and database front end.
The real thing that matters is consistency across pages...
HTH.
David Nelson
THAT I can do. Typin' up sum editz.
Hi Clayton,
Don't be shy to pad out that content in the Why? pages, if you have
inspiration. It was too telegraphic for my taste. Search engine
spiders eat text. You don't have to be too verbose, but...
HTH.
David Nelson
Alright, I'll work on that. Actually, I won't be doing anything else
tonight, it's late here, I live in Italy. So... I'll be pulling all of the
current writing into LibreOffice (ironic, no?) to compile a general format
for each page, with pieces which will be uniform across all pages, and from
there I'll pop 'em back into SilverStripe where I'll add the little
specifics and finish the formatting.
The information is good... just not explained well.