Author Topic: Better Site Organization for finding Answers  (Read 3233 times)

Doug

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Better Site Organization for finding Answers
« on: November 22, 2017, 09:02:02 AM »
This thread is dedicated to ideas for site organization that would help everybody to find answers to their problems, answers that probably already exist in the site, but may be difficult to find.  All are welcome to respond to this thread.

Our veterans are good guides...because they’ve been here and know where to look. But new people are struggling because of the size of the site. So their frustration in seeking an answer that isn’t/wasn’t obvious can be eased by our listening to them and responding with better organization.,

So how can we make things easier for everybody through better organization, menus, forum organization, etc.?

Doug

This thread is not for ANSWERING problem questions. It is about HOW to better find an answer to a problem.
« Last Edit: November 22, 2017, 09:13:14 AM by Doug »

Doug

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Re: Better Site Organization for finding Answers
« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2017, 09:36:22 AM »
Here's an example:

http://forum.mistymoorings.com/index.php?topic=3653.msg32324#msg32324

The question is about fitting our offerings into a different kind of setup. Do we have specific recommendations for setting up to handle RTMM? 

I think the answer should be on our "Getting Started" page. But I don't see a basic file structure there. Perhaps that should be added. If the new people come in and have the file structure correct, then solving problems is easier.

The "getting started" page is only referenced, menu-wise, on the HOME page, Right Column index.

http://return.mistymoorings.com/getting_started/index.php

"Getting Started" should be very obvious to new people hitting the site ... and that page should then lead to what is obviously next.  In this cased, we should have an example file structure toward the top of the page so when we "later" talk about putting in the locations, new people would know WHERE based on the file structure.

ualani

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Re: Better Site Organization for finding Answers
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2017, 11:07:02 AM »
Hi Doug,
A few quick thoughts.
RTMM was originally based upon the FSX platform, and over the past several years P3D has been slowly diverging from FSX in many ways, for better or worse. As P3D matures and morphs to wherever it's headed with each new release, it seems to me that it's going to be necessary to keep the 2 RTMM based platforms separate in the way we support them; both are becoming unique. As we're discovering, each new version of P3D creates a whole new host of issues that break things that were working fine in the past, not only FSX wise, but also pre-P3D4 wise. (Not to mention the things that MS breaks with their Win 10 updates, which often compound P3D issues and problems. Can you say Instant Scenery?) I've even read on other forums that people are throwing their hands up and giving up on P3D because of the havoc it causes and they're tired of having to repair it every time LM changes things.

The P3D installation problems and confusion that are mentioned in the 2 links you cite, indicate that it looks like we're going to have to have 2 separate sections: one devoted to FSX and one devoted to P3D. Right now it appears that some people are rightly confused and lost because they are reading FSX instructions for things that don't apply to P3D.

Another problem I foresee down the road because the installation instructions that accompany every RTMM scenery file, written for FSX, will become more and more outdated as well. I don't have an answer to that problem, but it's going to have to be addressed at some point. Just my 2 cents.

Steve
Legacy RTMM Library Manager
Custom Objects Design
Legacy Scenery Design
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Doug

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Re: Better Site Organization for finding Answers
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2017, 11:27:27 AM »
Great Steve, that's what we're looking for!  Those will mean some really big changes for the site, but I think you are on target.

The Installation Icon goes to a section of our FAQ page ... this is good. But we need to work now on that FAQ. I'll start work on that today. We'll put a FSX/P3D split on that FAQ. 

I'm wondering on the "split" for the site ... is this is going to be a split between 32 bit and 64 bit.  There are things we can do with both P3D V3 and FSX that are Different in P3D V4 ... meaning maybe we should think about those as part of the split 32 vs 64 bit?  Lets keep noodling out loud until we get it.
« Last Edit: November 22, 2017, 11:36:10 AM by Doug »

xxd09

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Re: Better Site Organization for finding Answers
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2017, 06:20:35 PM »
Hi Doug
Good thread
Impossible situation because it’s a moveable feast-things are changing faster and faster-more and more items/information appearing almost every day!
As a newbie and not very computer skilled I can tell you how it works for me!
1)As I moved from FSX to P3Dv3.4 and now to P3Dv4 I found plenty of information on this Board,Orbyx and Avsim to initially get loaded and flying
2)Then the polite and good technical response to basic queries of mine as I became more interested/knowledgeable-most of which had no doubt had been raised many times before -was the best start for me -it puts a lot of pressure on Moderators! Are there enough people for this task?
3)My confidence then having been raised it allowed me to investigate the Forum Boards for further knowledge-by myself
4) More complicated issues then arose as I got more interested (Finally got Tongass into P3Dv4!)
5) It was back to point (2) again-I have been lucky to get polite and good technical response at a higher level as well.
A combination of self help and advice as required
Some simmers just want to fly
Some want to almost reengineer the Sim !
Most are somewhere in between
I think you basically have it right -a very clear Index on the first page of the website and good Moderators
No doubt the Index page needs to constantly updated and made as clear as possible
You have the Moderators-will there be enough going forward?
Just my thoughts .I think you are on the right track with the present set up-seems good to me
xxd09


Doug

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Re: Better Site Organization for finding Answers
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2017, 07:33:14 PM »
Thank you ... I think, as people "grow" with this thing, everybody sort of becomes what you are calling a moderator ... mentor is probably a better term. And with what you know now, you already know much more than the fellow just hitting the site for the first time ... to that person, YOU are an expert. So if you see something someone is asking about and you KNOW the answer, jump in there and help them. That's kind of how it works here.

I think that index on the front page is probably the key, and I should expand it and update it a little better. I know, when I'm trying to get to something that isn't on the top menu, I go there. So if I'm using it, (and I'm supposed to know where everything is,) maybe I should try to make it better.

This is where your comments can help. If there is something you are looking for and it isn't found easily, then we'll use this thread to get whatever is missing onto that home page menu. Today I worked on a new  "RTMM Installation" document.  This will be for P3D 3.4, FSX, and P3D V4+. If I get it correct, it will make it a lot easier for folks getting over those first hurdles. So we're not just-a-talkin' bout it ... we're working on it.  Really appreciate your comments.