Talk:WYSIWYG

(Discussion up to 6 February 2007 has been copied from the Watercooler.)

During recent weeks I've had several different users, with differing skill levels, but all reasonably computer literate, testing our the Genealogy Wiki through the Wigton Walker Portal. While the response has been favorable, there several of the testers commented that it required a great deal of effort to get up to speed, so that the system could be used effectively. One tester commented that it was like "Looking down a rabbit hole" by which she meant that the Wikia system is definitely not WYSIWYG---and that requirement for WYSIWYG is, I think, a common denominator among potential users. The editing bar would seem to be a great improvement, but the formating needs to be made much more transparent to meet the average users needs. This unfullfilled requirement may explain the low "residence time" for people using the site---most registered users leave within a day of trying out the site. Bill 12:10, 20 September 2006 (UTC)


 * We're working on it! (Bill and I write long emails to one another.) But the WYSIWYG era is over: now you have to ask if you want to be sure WYSIWYG - or (even in old Word 6) you may get Normal View or Outline View or Master Document View. This site may be initially too simple for some people!!! Just click on "Edit", then type, then click "Save". (A neighbour of mine wanted to add a Word document to the Cities: wikia; had no end of trouble after he thought he would use his computer knowledge and use the Upload button, and didn't think hard about the response he got. When I said "Try Paste" all was well.) Robin Patterson 07:37, 25 September 2006 (UTC)


 * WYSIWYG might not be so easy to set up but what about having a forms based option? I think most people can fill out forms ok. I don't have a problem with the current set up, but seeing as I remember my early days of not being computer savvy I can very easily understand how this set up would be just too complicated for some. For those not sure what I'm suggesting, think of the logon screen. Bigger, all the options you could possible want, set up to hide empty fields at 'Save page' and for empty fields to reappear when 'edit' is chosen. BTW, I can't actually do this myself. I know how to create forms on web pages, but the next bit, have the form itself disappear when save is clicked on is way beyond me. Jayoval 22:05, 3 February 2007 (UTC)


 * Hi Jayoval...Actually, that's pretty much what I did have in mind. A series of small forms that could be called up basedon the layout in the "Vita box" and "child list" set ups.  Possibly combined with GEDCOM terminology to facilitate GEDCOM imports. (we already have a GEDCOM import package, but frankly, I haven't figured out how to use it. (Since I gave up on GEDCOM's long ago, I don't really have a lot of motivation there---but most folks do have GEDCOM's so eventually, that facility needs to work with what I have in mind---hence using the GEDCOM tags.)  But first things first...the problem is not how to set the data up---the problem is making it compatible with this Wiki---the underlying programming does not support forms, which means that you'd have to write an extension to make that work.  Which means I need to spend some quality time with the undelrying programming, pick up on the nuances of PHP, and figure out how to get the extension into the program that powers the site.  That will take a bit of time.  Fortunately, I expect I will have the time shortly....but unless I'm very lucky, haveing even a trial program in place is probably 6 months off.


 * So yes, I think what you are suggesting is pretty much the way to go. There have been other suggestions, but I'm inclined to go the Forms route.  Bill 01:07, 4 February 2007 (UTC)


 * Ah! Cool. I just hadn't seen it mentioned (not that I've searched all these discussions thoroughly) so I thought I'd make the suggestion. It sounds like a big job. I definitely can't help with it! Have fun. Jayoval 20:22, 6 February 2007 (UTC)