[Olpc-open] firendly manual

[gnome]

Michael:

Right.  Wiki it is.  I couldn't agree more that there should be *one* 
main source for the basic manual.  Advanced folks know how to search 
forums and wikis.  The manual is necessary for people new to the system, 
and more than one choice creates nothing but confusion in that case.  
Believe me.  I know.  ;-)

There are only two "basic manual" suggestions I'd like to strongly urge:

1) Include a printed "map" of the keyboard, ports, and external features 
*with the machine when it arrives*!  This might be a good idea 
everywhere.  Kids will figure it out by playing around, that's true, but 
they may also try plugging in that old cell phone charger that's lying 
around with perhaps not-so-good consequences.

Also include a *printer friendly* version on the web site.  The current 
mouseover pages have all the info and look great, but you should see 
what my scribbled reference printout looks like.

2) Include, in bold type, in the flyer that ships with the machine, the 
URL of the wiki basic manual.  Maybe it's there somewhere, but I, for 
one, was way too excited to see it, and only found the wiki later, 
almost by accident.  That's also why I didn't realize that it was 
intended to be the main manual, rather than just one of many possible 
attempts.  (See above about many choices being confusing ... ;-) )  (The 
big problem with a purely web-based manual is that you have to get on 
the web first.  So that info should *also* be included in the printed 
materials with the machine ... including the instructions for 
WPA-secured wireless until a newer build solves that problem.)

Re: olpcnews:  There does seem to a tendency to lack of coordination, 
which, as you say, is unfortunate, and a waste of energy!  Wayan's 
redesigning the web site, and one of the suggestions I was going to make 
was that he be sure to link prominently to the main olpc sites.  My 
sense is that we users are all too excited to coordinate.  For once, I'm 
not sure that it's ego tripping!

Cheers,
quixote.

-- 
http://molvray.com/acid-test