User:Hans/Contribute: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 15:30, 16 June 2011

This page describes how to contribute content to UserBase. For an introduction to translating pages, see Translate.

Overview

UserBase is a free wiki for KDE software, which means that anyone can help to improve the content. The website is built on work by many volunteer contributors, and everyone in the KDE community is encouraged to help.

There are many ways to contribute to UserBase. An important thing to remember is that every contribution counts, whether it's large or small. The contribution types can roughly be divided into:

Editing content
Adding new content
Managing content
Translating content
Writing manuals

Getting Started

You must be logged in to contribute to UserBase. Get an account or log in

Tip

If you already have an OpenID account, it should work well with UserBase. Login with OpenID

Go to a page that you want to improve. For starters you can experiment freely in the Sandbox to familiarize yourself with the wiki
Click on Edit to edit the page
Make your changes in the text box, see Make Changes below for more information
Use Show preview to preview your changes
If everything looks good, enter a short summary of the changes in the Summary box and click on Save page

Guidelines

What Belongs in UserBase

KDE UserBase is the home for users and enthusiasts of KDE software. It provides high quality information for end users on how to use KDE applications.

UserBase is the central point of contact for end users looking for help using KDE applications or for any other user-oriented information about KDE-related issues. It provides task-oriented help how to achieve user's goals, application-oriented info to learn more about the applications and tips and tricks to make users' life easier and more pleasant. Information on UserBase should not require deep technical knowledge or being familiar with the community. Contributions by users are very welcome.

For technical documentation use KDE TechBase. For community info use the KDE Community Wiki. See the Wiki Landing Page for an overview.

License

All content that you put into KDE UserBase is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License and the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike license. This basically means that you are free to use content in UserBase, distribute it and modify it, provided that you follow the attribution indicated by the original author(s) and that you distribute the modified work under this same license. See Copyrights for more information.

When you are using content from other websites, whether it be text, screenshots, or images, please make sure that you have their permission and that you acknowledge their work and probably link to their site. If you have doubts, the Community Working Group can assist in contacting the appropriate parties.

Editing

Start editing

Only registered users are allowed to edit the content in the KDE UserBase wiki. You can log in or create your account on Special:UserLogin. If you have an OpenID account you can try to log in with it on Special:OpenIDLogin.

When you are logged in, you will see an Edit tab at the top of all editable pages. Clicking on it takes you to the Editing page, where you can edit the content of your current page.

Make Changes

(screenshot of the text box)

The Edit text box contains the existing text of a page, which lets you add new text and modify the content as needed. A quick reference to the basic wiki markup can be found on Cheatsheet. For a more comprehensive help on formatting, see Toolbox.

To maintain high quality content try to be concise, objective and keep the language professional. Please follow the style used in other wiki articles on UserBase for consistency. You can find guidelines for the layout in PageLayout. Additionally, following the Typographical Guidelines will make it easier to export the content for translation.

Preview Changes

When you have finished, click Show preview to see how your changes will look before you save them permanently. Repeat the edit/preview process until you are satisfied.

Save Changes

Before you save the page, write a short summary of the changes in the Summary box below the Edit box.

Example: Fixed a typo

If the changes are superficial, such as typo or formatting corrections, mark the edit as minor by checking This is a minor edit.

Finally, press Save page to save the modified page. Your changes will immediately be reflected on the page.

Talk Pages

A talk page, also known as discussion page, is a page where UserBase users can communicate with each other. Each wiki page can have a Talk page associated to it, and it should be used to discuss how to improve the content.

To discuss a page, go to that page and click on the Discuss tab. Previous discussions can be found under Contents. If you want to reply to a thread, click on Add a reply at the bottom of the thread, enter your reply and click on Save page. To reply to a specific post, click on More under the post and then Reply in the pop-up menu.

Clicking on Start a new discussion in the box above Contents lets you start a new thread. Enter a subject that describes the topic and your message and click on Save page.

Use the talk page in Sandbox to experiment.

User Talk Pages

User talk pages are talk pages associated with UserBase users. It can be used to leave a message for a specific user and works like other talk pages. That means that messages on user talk pages will be visible to everyone. If someone has posted on your talk page, you will see an alert saying "You have new messages".

Creating New Pages

Before creating a new page, you need a user account on UserBase and should be familiar with writing and editing articles. Please also consider the following:

Is the page relevant to the purpose of UserBase? Irrelevant pages will be deleted
Will the content be useful for other people? If it's only of interest to you, it belongs to your user page
Does a similar page already exist? Do a quick search first to make sure a similar topic does not already exist

The Procedure

There are two ways to create a new page. Creating a page in your user space is recommended for new contributors and/or if you want to work on it before making it "live". Creating a new page directly is faster and mainly for more experienced contributors.

Creating a Page in Your User Space

Creating a New Page Directly

Naming Conventions

Where to Put New Pages

Introduction
Getting Help (Path: /Getting_Help)
Applications (Path: /Applications)
- Categories of Applications (eg Path: /Applications/Internet)
- Individual Applications (Path: /<applicationname>)
Tutorials (Path: /Tutorials/) NB This section is to be removed in the re-design

Paths need to be kept short, as user are generally unable to remember long paths.

The UserBase wiki uses subpages. Take a quick look at the article about the Help:Wiki Structure. In short: Do not randomly add toplevel pages.

For instance, you read the page http://userbase.kde.org/KWord, and realise that a page about using Shapes would be very useful. You should then create your new page as http://userbase.kde.org/KWord/Using_Shapes.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Template:I18n/Language Navigation Bar|Help:Contents}}
-You are welcome to contribute to the KDE Community's UserBase wiki. To maintain high quality content and articles there are a few guidelines you should follow. This is a brief introduction to editing and contributing.
-== How to contribute ==
-* [[Special:UserLogin|Get an account]] and [[Special:UserLogin|log in]]
+''This page describes how to contribute content to UserBase. For an introduction to translating pages, see [[Translate]].''
+== Overview ==
+UserBase is a free wiki for KDE software, which means that anyone can help to improve the content. The website is built on work by many volunteer contributors, and everyone in the KDE community is encouraged to help.
+There are many ways to contribute to UserBase. An important thing to remember is that every contribution counts, whether it's large or small. The contribution types can roughly be divided into:
+* Editing content
+* Adding new content
+* Managing content
+* Translating content
+* Writing manuals
+== Getting Started ==
+* You must be logged in to contribute to UserBase. [[Special:UserLogin|Get an account or log in]]
 ::{|
-|[[Image:help-hint.png]]||'''Tip'''||||||||||||||If you already have an OpenID account it may well work with UserBase.  You should try that first.
+|[[Image:help-hint.png]]||'''Tip'''||||||||||||||
+If you already have an OpenID account, it should work well with UserBase. [[Special:OpenIDLogin|Login with OpenID]]
 |}
-* Surf to a page that you want to improve, e.g. [[ktimetracker|KTimetracker]]
+* Go to a page that you want to improve. For starters you can experiment freely in the [[Sandbox]] to familiarize yourself with the wiki
-* Click on '''Edit'''
+* Click on '''Edit''' to edit the page
-* Do your changes, here is some [[Toolbox|help with formatting]] and [[PageLayout|with page layout]]
+* Make your changes in the text box, see [[#Make Changes|Make Changes]] below for more information
-* Preview your page - links are already live, so you can check them at the same time (by hovering)
+* Use '''Show preview''' to preview your changes
-* Click on '''Save page'''
+* If everything looks good, enter a short summary of the changes in the '''Summary''' box  and click on '''Save page'''
-== What Content belongs in the KDE Community UserBase ==
+== Guidelines ==
+=== What Belongs in UserBase ===
 ''KDE UserBase is the home for users and enthusiasts of KDE software. It provides high quality information for end users on how to use KDE applications.''
-UserBase is the central point of contact for end users looking for help using KDE applications or for any other user-oriented information about KDE-related issues. It provides task-oriented help how to achieve user's goals, application-oriented info to learn more about the applications a user uses or tips and tricks to make user's life easier and more pleasant. Information on userbase should be polished and stable. It should not require deep technical knowledge or being familiar with the community. Contributions by users are very welcome.
+UserBase is the central point of contact for end users looking for help using KDE applications or for any other user-oriented information about KDE-related issues. It provides task-oriented help how to achieve user's goals, application-oriented info to learn more about the applications and tips and tricks to make users' life easier and more pleasant. Information on UserBase should not require deep technical knowledge or being familiar with the community. Contributions by users are very welcome.
 For technical documentation use [http://techbase.kde.org KDE TechBase]. For community info use the [http://community.kde.org KDE Community Wiki]. See the [http://wiki.kde.org Wiki Landing Page] for an overview.
-=== Where to put new Articles ===
+=== License ===
+All content that you put into KDE UserBase is licensed under the [http://www.gnu.org/licenses/fdl.txt GNU Free Documentation License] and the [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike license]. This basically means that you are free to use content in UserBase, distribute it and modify it, provided that you follow the attribution indicated by the original author(s) and that you distribute the modified work under this same license. See [[KDE_UserBase:Copyrights|Copyrights]] for more information.
-The UserBase wiki uses ''subpages''. Take a quick look at the article about the [[Help:Wiki Structure]]. In short: Do not randomly add toplevel pages.
+When you are using content from other websites, whether it be text, screenshots, or images, please make sure that you have their permission and that you acknowledge their work and probably link to their site. If you have doubts, the [http://ev.kde.org/workinggroups/cwg.php Community Working Group] can assist in contacting the appropriate parties.
-For instance, you read the page ''<nowiki>http://userbase.kde.org/KWord</nowiki>'', and realise that a page about using Shapes would be very useful.  You should then create your new page as ''<nowiki>http://userbase.kde.org/KWord/Using_Shapes</nowiki>''.
+== Editing ==
-<!---::{|
-|[[Image:Im-status-message-edit.png]]||'''Note'''||
-It is possible to translate KDE UserBase articles into other languages. Read the article about [[Help:Wiki Translation]] for further details.
-|}--->
-=== The Procedure ===
+=== Start editing ===
+Only registered users are allowed to edit the content in the KDE UserBase wiki. You can log in or create your account on [[Special:UserLogin]]. If you have an OpenID account you can try to log in with it on [[Special:OpenIDLogin]].
+When you are logged in, you will see an '''Edit''' tab at the top of all editable pages. Clicking on it takes you to the ''Editing'' page, where you can edit the content of your current page.
+=== Make Changes ===
+''(screenshot of the text box)''
+The ''Edit'' text box contains the existing text of a page, which lets you add new text and modify the content as needed. A quick reference to the basic wiki markup can be found on [[User:Hans/Contribute/Cheatsheet|Cheatsheet]]. For a more comprehensive help on formatting, see [[Toolbox]].
+To maintain high quality content try to be concise, objective and keep the language professional. Please follow the style used in other wiki articles on UserBase for consistency. You can find guidelines for the layout in [[PageLayout]]. Additionally, following the [[Typographical Guidelines]] will make it easier to export the content for translation.
+=== Preview Changes ===
+When you have finished, click '''Show preview''' to see how your changes will look ''before'' you save them permanently. Repeat the edit/preview process until you are satisfied.
+=== Save Changes ===
+Before you save the page, write a short summary of the changes in the '''Summary''' box below the Edit box.
+Example: ''Fixed a typo''
+If the changes are superficial, such as typo or formatting corrections, mark the edit as minor by checking '''This is a minor edit'''.
+Finally, press '''Save page''' to save the modified page. Your changes will immediately be reflected on the page.
+== Talk Pages ==
-You want to add new content. To keep high quality, please create the article in your ''userpage'' first (e.g. User:foo/My Article). Once it is ready, discuss the article with other developers and proof-read it. Finally, if a location is found, move the page.
+A ''talk page'', also known as ''discussion page'', is a page where UserBase users can communicate with each other. Each wiki page can have a Talk page associated to it, and it should be used to discuss how to improve the content.
-After moving the page please ''add yourself to the watch list'' by clicking the '''Watch''' register. You will get a notice by mail whenever the page changes.
+To discuss a page, go to that page and click on the '''Discuss''' tab. Previous discussions can be found under ''Contents''. If you want to reply to a thread, click on '''Add a reply''' at the bottom of the thread, enter your reply and click on '''Save page'''. To reply to a specific post, click on '''More''' under the post and then '''Reply''' in the pop-up menu.
-== Editing Basics ==
+Clicking on '''Start a new discussion''' in the box above ''Contents'' lets you start a new thread. Enter a subject that describes the topic and your message and click on '''Save page'''.
-In the KDE UserBase wiki only registered users are allowed to edit content and structure.  You can create your account ''[[Special:UserLogin|here]]''. If any problem or question arises, we are able to leave you messages on your ''User:Talk'' page and you will receive a notification.  You can respond at the same place, or on the ''Talk page'' of the user that contacted you. All logged in users are allowed to upload files.
+Use the talk page in [[Sandbox]] to experiment.
-=== Review Policy and Conventions ===
-Make sure that you submit information which is relevant to the specific purpose of the wiki, or your content might get deleted. You can always use the [[Help:Talk page|''Discussion'' or ''talk'' pages]] to ask questions or to check if your idea will be accepted. Please make sure your contributions are not violating any licenses.
+=== User Talk Pages ===
-=== Start Editing ===
+''User talk pages'' are talk pages associated with UserBase users. It can be used to leave a message for a specific user and works like other talk pages. That means that messages on user talk pages will be visible to everyone. If someone has posted on your talk page, you will see an alert saying "You have new messages".
-To start editing a [[Main Page|UserBase]] page, click the '''Edit''' link at the tab on the top. This brings you to the edit page: a page with a text box containing the ''wikitext'' - the editable code from which the server produces the finished page. If you just want to experiment, ''please do so in your own user page'', as listed under Personal tools, not here. You can copy and paste code from any page there for experimentation, and it's also a good place to keep your notes or develop any new pages.
+== Creating New Pages ==
-=== Type your Changes ===
+Before creating a new page, you need a user account on UserBase and should be familiar with [[#Editing|writing and editing]] articles. Please also consider the following:
+* ''[[#What belongs in UserBase|Is the page relevant to the purpose of UserBase?]]'' Irrelevant pages will be deleted
+* ''Will the content be useful for other people?'' If it's only of interest to you, it belongs to your [[Special:MyPage|user page]]
+* ''Does a similar page already exist?'' Do a quick search first to make sure a similar topic does not already exist
-You can just type your text. However, also using basic wiki markup to make links and do simple formatting increases the value of your contribution. Please follow the style used in other wiki articles. You can find guidance in [[PageLayout|PageLayout]]. Additionally, we'll appreciate if you abide by the [[Typographical_Guidelines|Typographical Guidelines]] in your articles. If you follow these, your contributions will be more valuable as they won't need to be cleaned up later. You can find lots of examples of code markup in the [[Toolbox|Toolbox]].
+=== The Procedure ===
-=== Summarize your Changes ===
+There are two ways to create a new page. [[#Creating a page in your user space|Creating a page in your user space]] is recommended for new contributors and/or if you want to work on it before making it "live". [[#Creating a new page directly|Creating a new page directly]] is faster and mainly for more experienced contributors.
-Write a short edit summary in the small field below the edit-box.
+==== Creating a Page in Your User Space ====
-Example: ''Fixed a typo''
+==== Creating a New Page Directly ====
+=== Naming Conventions ===
+=== Where to Put New Pages ===
-=== Preview before Saving ===
+* Introduction
+* Getting Help (Path: /Getting_Help)
+* Applications (Path: /Applications)
+** Categories of Applications (eg Path: /Applications/Internet)
+** Individual Applications (Path: /<applicationname>)
+* Tutorials (Path: /Tutorials/)  NB This section is to be removed in the re-design
-When you have finished, click '''Show preview''' to see how your changes will look ''before'' you make them permanent.  Repeat the edit/preview process until you are satisfied, then click '''Save page''' and your changes will be immediately applied to the article.
+''Paths need to be kept short, as user are generally unable to remember long paths.''
-''You can see a list of all the pages in this 'Getting Started' category by clicking on the link below.''
+The UserBase wiki uses subpages. Take a quick look at the article about the Help:Wiki Structure. In short: Do not randomly add toplevel pages.
-== Working with TranslateWiki ==
+For instance, you read the page http://userbase.kde.org/KWord, and realise that a page about using Shapes would be very useful. You should then create your new page as http://userbase.kde.org/KWord/Using_Shapes.
-If you want to get started in translating documents, you will find information on the [[Translation Workflow|Translation Workflow]] page.  You may also find ''[http://lydgate.org/blogs/?p=165 this blog]'' helpful.
+== Writing Manuals ==
-[[Category:Contributing]]
+== See Also ==