ubuntu-manual team mailing list archive

[Wolter Hellmund <wolterh6@xxxxxxxxx>]

Ok, here is piece of thought.

I do think we have to re-organize the manual. I think Ilya is proposing
an interesting arrangement, but that Benjamin also has a point in
keeping the number of chapters low. But I don't think we should do it
because people might not want to read the manual as a whole, because (or
at least as far as I know) that is not the point of the manual. I think
of it more as a reference guide.

I think we should separate the really essential parts of using ubuntu,
and write them down to a manual.

0. Introduction to the manual
---
1. Introduction to Ubuntu
2. Installing Ubuntu (because the user already knows what ubuntu is, so if user likes it, user should install,  else close the book and go use a not-so-nice OS)
3. Making yourself at home (to understand ubuntu, and how to get along with it)
4. Making home yours (how to customize your desktop, and install new applications and stuff.. Make your computer yours)
5. Giving your system maintenance
---
6. Getting to the core (introduces the user the under-the-hood section, and why should the user know about it)
7. The terminal is your friend (explains how to understand/use terminals)
---
8. For common problems, common solutions (sort of like troubleshooting part I guess. I think the terminal part needs to be before this one, as this one most likely will require use of terminals).

I know that my organization is not the best one, but I just wanted to do
this before I went to sleep. I think that I have made my point in that
we have to group similar things to a further level to make this manual
more user friendly. Please don't complain about my chapter names or
numbering, that can obviously be changed ;), I just wanted descriptive
titles to help me write less stuff inside the parentheses

-- 
Ordering of content might need some tweaking
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/504668
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Manual Team, which is a bug assignee.

Status in Ubuntu Manual: Confirmed

Bug description:
I have been taking a look at our current TOC and am wondering whether it needs to be tweaked slightly. My concern is that we will be asking users to open a terminal and type commands within the first six chapters, however it is not until chapter 7 that we have an 'introduction to the terminal' that explains what it is and what sudo means etc. This doesn't make sense to me and could be confusing/offputting to a beginner.

My suggestion is this:

1. Rename chapter 6 to simply "Updates and Upgrades", and remove the section on "system maintenance".
2. Rename chapter 7 to "System Maintenance", and make the content on system maintenance (that was in chapter 6) a new subsection of chapter 7, following the 'introduction to the terminal' subsection.

That way, I think we could almost get away with not using the command line at all for the entire first part of the manual, as it's mostly gui-based stuff. Then when the reader gets to part II - advanced, the first thing they read is an introduction to the terminal.

Hope that all made sense. Anyone have any other suggestions?