FR: restrict N++ to smart users only PLEASE!!
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donho
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There seem to be a lot of (new) users of Notepad++ that think things don't work OK or/because only not to their liking. Instead of looking for available features in the Notepad++ menus or looking at previous posts in the forum or searching for those, they simply post their questions and probably think some smart guy (or possibly engine) will just answer those requests. They don't even get the idea that maybe someone else before them might have encountered the same problem. It seems we could create a soap series around this, with the same problems, questions and answers everyday, and no-one would even notice we re-run the same program day after day!!!
Just my thoughts about this...
I am a new user of N++, as I wondered whether to switch from ConTEXT, the development of whch had been stalled for a long time. So, like many new users, I have some habits, and I wish I could change them as litle as possible. I'm probably not the only one.
There is a whole wealth of information to be found on the offline .chm file or on the wiki, even though it asks to be expanded. I may contribute when I think I have a topic clearly covered; this will require some time still.
However, I have found it a bit difficult to retrieve that information at times. Why? Perhaps because that documentation is a little too much idiocentric. It is a good documentation for someone who has the general organisation of things in N++ hardwired already and requires some precision about a rarely used setting. This is a common trait for software documentation, granted.
My feeling in looking for other editors is that sometimes, they manage to present the help topics from the virtual standpoint of the user of some generic text editor. While I couldn't spell out a formal grammmar to codify such a viewpoint, I definitely think that feel is lacking from the docs. It may explain why people ask for the same things over and again in forums.
I wonder whether it would be diffiult to add an extra "Ask" entry to the help menu. The entry would display a little yes/cancel dialog with a text field where a question could be input. Clicking Search would scan input for keywords, then search offline docs, wiki and possibly forums for matches, returning a list of seemingly relevant hits. N++ is a feature full editor, so it may be worth the effort. And the average user would perhaps get a feeling of where to find what, using the faicility less as a result.
About the query/suggestion/bug: I don't think this would work, because the borders are definitely blurred:
- I query why something doesn't work as expected. This could well be a bug report.
- If it cannot be currently configured, and the behaviour is not documented. Developers may choose to extend functionality ("fix") or document the limitation. No user can tell in advance. And limitations may be removed in future versions only.
Fire at will.
CChris
Hi Chris,
This thread started in July last year but you have revived it, and I'm glad you have. I'm also fairly new to N++ (January this year) and had similar feelings to you about the documentation that is available.
In February I put out call for expressions of interest in working on documentation (https://sourceforge.net/forum/message.php?msg_id=6562419). We weren't overwhelmed with people contacting us but we have continued to work on a review of all N++ documentation. We will be publishing our plans for the way forward shortly. So stay tuned and if you'd like to be involved please contact me at 'gr3gw at users.sourceforge.net' (replacing the at with the usual).
Do you think "they" are going to search for "smart users only PLEASE!!" and find this brilliant help message???
I agree with you that they should do some efforts before asking questions.
But here're the forums for questions/disscussions.
If these questions bother you, just ignore them. You don't have to answer those questions.
Don
> If these questions bother you, just ignore them.
> You don't have to answer those questions.
Of course, they get in the way with the everyday scanning of perhaps everyday problems with Notepad++ on these forums.
Can you easily ignore beggers if they are at every corner?
"How To Ask Questions The Smart Way"
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
Here is some documentation I hope visitors will read and take time to think about. However, I guess there are users who just don't want to take the time, put a demand and expect an immediate answer to their needs.
I saw a number of posts again today that are:
1. short, like only saying: do something for me
2. unclear, like: hey, something is going wrong, understand me!
3. unnecessary, because problems are already known as well as correct answers and/or solutions
4. put here quickly, because it _is_ clear from what is written, that the poster didn't even think his request or problem through
Hey, I got a key I use to drive my Jeep. Why doesn't it work on my Land Rover?
Hi Don,
I think this can be avoided by 2 ways.
1. Good help.
2. Query solve mechanism.
Regarding Good help. You can ask to get idea of how the help should look like and after that deside the structure of help.
Like
.what should be at top level of help menues or feature or both.
.serch mechaizm.
.it should be online or offline.
...
It will depend on how you ask to users by a questionar or just text.
Then create some thing like wiki that users (like me :) ) will help you to complete and update help.
If it you decide it should be offline then choose best topics and compile chm. and ask user to update help regulary.
That will reduce your burdon and more users will be happy using N++.
Regading Query solve mechanisam, create seperate discusion foreum for
.queries
.suggesion
.bugs
for suggession you take care.
for bugs let intersted developer take care (I think you have better system)
for queries send daily emails (offcoures automatically) to intersted users (again like me ;)) to answer them. if somebody gives one reply then remove it from pending. don't add it in pending list until user again take effort to open and rely to it.
Fankly I am not able to read all mail due to huge size.
Regards
Abhay.