[MG] Clearing entry paths for new users

[Michael Allan]

Ed Pastore wrote:
> Some hopefully constructive criticism...
> 
> > ... Note that we now have "diff me" links in the UI ...
> 
> In the interests of approachability, instead of "diff me" with  
> explanatory text in the <a title>, would you consider having the  
> entire text of the title be the link... perhaps with an "expert mode"  
> that collapses that long text into just "diff me."

I started out as you suggest, then I tried to do more:

  http://u.zelea.com:8080/v/w/D?b=4047&a=4042&aR=2706&bR=2720

  (hit refresh)

I don't think I succeeded.  It's visually confusing - not sure why.
Maybe with fresh eyes tomorrow I'll see what's wrong.

> > I'm working to clear a path of entry for new users, maybe
> > something like this:
> >
> >  1. Potential user is attracted by drafting chatter in the list
> >     and follows one of the embedded diff links (like above).
> 
> Is this a good point of entry? It just shows the diff fragments
> without surrounding context. Shouldn't users be encouraged to start
> on someone's full draft? And/or would it be hard to do a full
> side-by- side, even if most of the content is duplicated?

I agree with your first intuition, the full draft is a natural for
context.  It's indispensible.

Thomas wrote:
> Would the same be possible like above, i.e. have both possibilities?
> Show full text comparison or collapse to diffs only? That would be
> best I guess.

If we go with a full draft, then the problem is reduced to one of
traversal.  We traverse (2) in order to expand the context, then (3)
to collapse it back again.

        (1)         (2)

        -->         -->
  List       Bridge      Wiki
        <--         <--

        (4)         (3)

Currently only (1) is easily traversible.  In that sense, the bridge
is only 1/4 built.  For a user stranded in the wiki, the crucial
crossing is (3).  Maybe that's the next thing to code?

(I'll reply to other points, soon)

-- 
Michael Allan

Toronto, +1 416-699-9528
http://zelea.com/



Originally posted to the mailing list of the Metagovernment Project:
http://metagovernment.org/mailman/listinfo/start_metagovernment.org