[wp-docs] Back up the truck

[Morgan Doocy]

On Dec 14, 2004, at 9:17 AM, Ryan Duff wrote:

> I agree 100% on this. As a new user looking at the wordpress site, 
> once you
> download it and try to install it, where would you go... The page 
> labeled
> "support." This is incorrect, we do not want new users going here 
> first, we
> want to get them to go to the docs page first. How? We make the 
> support page
> a list of reference material then a link to the forums. You want to 
> make the
> 5 minute install the first thing they read. From then, if they need 
> more
> info or want to customize something, they can look to the in-depth
> documentation and on to the wiki. If they can't find what they're 
> looknig
> for there, then we tell them to check the forums or get on irc. The 
> number 1
> reason the forum is flooded with newbies asking the same questions 
> over and
> over is because they don't' see the simple documentation like the 5 min
> install first.

Exactly! We need to link to documentation first, thence to other 
resources (forums, IRC) if questions are unanswered.

> My suggestion: restructure the "support page" or whatever page they're
> logically going to click on when they need help. Tell them to check x
> resource and y recource first, if its not there, then check z resource,
> still can't find it, search the forums and make a new post if you still
> can't find it there. Tell them if they need instant help to hop on 
> irc. Make
> it plain and as clear as possible to them and this will aleviate some 
> of the
> problems.

In another post I made just now, I suggested that we link directly to 
documentation first, rather than restructuring the Support page -- but 
this would probably work just as well. There would be a little lower 
conversion rate than if we linked directly, but not too drastic a 
difference. The only issue is that we collectively wouldn't be able to 
edit it, because it's not a Wiki, but that's nothing too big.

Morgan