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Please check the status of this specification in Launchpad before editing it. If it is Approved, contact the Assignee or another knowledgeable person before making changes.

• Launchpad Entry: noneyet

• Packages affected:

Summary

This sub-spec of ConnectingHelpSystems focuses on ways to connect the wiki (primary reference) and forums (primary activity).

Release Note

This section should include a paragraph describing the end-user impact of this change. It is meant to be included in the release notes of the first release in which it is implemented. (Not all of these will actually be included in the release notes, at the release manager's discretion; but writing them is a useful exercise.)

It is mandatory.

Rationale

The Wiki preserves and structures user driven information for the benefit of other users.

The Forums collect and encourage user activity and information.

Connecting these to powerhouses together, so that the fresh manpower of the forums translates directly to accurate and up to date information would dramatically improve the quality of the help the community provides for itself.

Use Cases

Assumptions

Design

Notes:

• [http://nmonk.org/livetree/Comment.jpg what the comment option could look like with no comments (This could be made transparent unless the mouse is over that section.)]

• [http://nmonk.org/livetree/OpenComments.jpg when browsing comments, the line becomes a box, showing the section to which the comments apply]

• adding a comment should be barely more complicated than chat
• replying to a comment gives a chance to agree or disagree (or report for content)
• highly rated comments become more visible, pop out to all?
• rated down comments become less visible - show to only 1/X viewers
• allow users to request help/more information
• keep track of the age of requests, and list them for the user
• make clear notification when there has been feedback on their request
• track questions from accounts with designated support personnel, for their support teams to respond? (Son, Helpdesk, Paid Support Companies)

• found some specs about forum+launchpad trying to integrate: ForumIntegration and LaunchpadForumIntegration

• integrating forums into the wiki will help give them structure and applicability, but it defrays their community aspects some. It would be a very good idea to also show the same threads in a wiki-less, more community oriented view so people can spot happening activity without scanning the whole wiki, or stumbling on the same page. Ratings would help filter this view.

Implementation

This section should describe a plan of action (the "how") to implement the changes discussed. Could include subsections like:

UI Changes

Should cover changes required to the UI, or specific UI that is required to implement this

Code Changes

Code changes should include an overview of what needs to change, and in some cases even the specific details.

Migration

Include:

• data migration, if any
• redirects from old URLs to new ones, if any
• how users will be pointed to the new way of doing things, if necessary.

Test/Demo Plan

It's important that we are able to test new features, and demonstrate them to users. Use this section to describe a short plan that anybody can follow that demonstrates the feature is working. This can then be used during CD testing, and to show off after release.

This need not be added or completed until the specification is nearing beta.

Outstanding Issues

This should highlight any issues that should be addressed in further specifications, and not problems with the specification itself; since any specification with problems cannot be approved.

BoF agenda and discussion

Use this section to take notes during the BoF; if you keep it in the approved spec, use it for summarising what was discussed and note any options that were rejected.

CategorySpec