[Python-Dev] Python wiki

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Fri, 24 Sep 2010 01:57:19 am Barry Warsaw wrote:

> I certainly agree with that.  So, how can we solve those problems? 
> Radomir has shell access now so perhaps we can ask him to make the
> Python wiki theme more visually appealing.  What roadblocks do people
> encounter when they want to help garden or reorganize the wiki?


For me, the number one roadblock is unfamiliarity -- I always forget 
that there is a Python wiki. I think it would be helpful if the wiki 
could be integrated with the docs in some fashion, perhaps by having 
each page link to a sister page in the wiki.

It seems to me that the wiki won't be useful until people regularly use 
it, and people won't regularly use it until it is useful. It will take 
a conscious effort by people (including myself) to break this vicious 
circle by improving articles and regularly linking to them.

Number two, I just went to the wiki to see how I might get started. I 
randomly choose this page:

http://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide/Download

and looked for an edit button or something. Unlike Wikipedia, there is 
no obvious Edit button. Eventually I noticed in tiny type at the bottom 
of the page:

"Immutable page".

Hmmm, that's not promising. Then I discovered a *tiny* icon that looks 
like a speech bubble that apparently means "edit". Clicking it gives me 
a message:

"You are not allowed to edit this page."

Not friendly, nor helpful. A better message might be something 
like "This page is locked. You must log in to edit this page." or 
similar. How does one get an account? Can I edit anonymously?

Once I found a page I could edit, it was relatively straightforward. So 
that's a plus :)



-- 
Steven D'Aprano