Newbie issues, still - - page 2 - Hello, I'm a NEWBIE - HELP!! (Newbies assistance, User Guides and thank you notes)

intrnst

99
A710IS + Morebest

Re: Newbie issues, still

« Reply #10 on: 21 / May / 2008, 09:44:53 »

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Quote from: Psychokitty on 15 / May / 2008, 07:32:13

The wiki is chock full of information...

And your message too ;]

Sorry for my delay, I was without Internet link these days.
I agree with you. And that's the point. I feel that the noob is a little bit lost here. At least when he/she arrives. So what's all about? An effort to make a veeeery simple section (at wikia or...) where he/she could get used to some concepts and basic infos.

I made some scratch page at wikia, but unsure if it will fit or be approved as a solution, I leave it down. Any criticism are welcome.

Bill, PhyrePhoX, acseven?

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-- funny english, be aware -- CHDK for Dummies - The Very First Steps

A_Str8

59

Re: Newbie issues, still

« Reply #11 on: 21 / May / 2008, 10:30:34 »

BB - You should add the text of your readme to the wiki's a720 page

I just started using CHDK this past Friday. I have a decent understanding of photography concepts and I'm good with computers/tech. Following the wiki was (and still is) maddening. Too many articles are not linked to articles they should be linked to. Too many articles explaining the steps to procedure A require you follow steps for procedure B (written on a different page) which requires procedures C and D (which you can only find with a search). Often, if there's more than one way to do something, the methods are simply listed without giving new users enough info to diffrentiate between them. Too many pages are dedicated to builds that once had build specific features - I shouldn't need to read about several different versions of CHDK just to find out about Allbest if Allbest is the standard.

A real example - I did a search on get_prop. I found 2 pages listing property cases, both put of date. Through the forum I found a link to a seperate "Propery Cases" page that seems more recent and is not linked to from the other pages.

I think what would really help us newbies out is organization of info. A lot of the info is out there but just hard to find. New FAQs would be great, but if they are added to the same disorganized collection, they won't reach their potential usefulness.

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intrnst

99
A710IS + Morebest

Re: Newbie issues, still

« Reply #12 on: 21 / May / 2008, 18:08:45 »

Quote from: A_Str8 on 21 / May / 2008, 10:30:34

I think what would really help us newbies out is organization of info. A lot of the info is out there but just hard to find. New FAQs would be great, but if they are added to the same disorganized collection, they won't reach their potential usefulness.

Very true. The sad thing is that CHDK wikia has a lot of colaborators and almost none coordinator.

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-- funny english, be aware -- CHDK for Dummies - The Very First Steps

A_Str8

59

Re: Newbie issues, still -

« Reply #13 on: 21 / May / 2008, 20:21:10 »

Quote from: intrnst on 21 / May / 2008, 18:08:45

Quote from: A_Str8 on 21 / May / 2008, 10:30:34
I think what would really help us newbies out is organization of info. A lot of the info is out there but just hard to find. New FAQs would be great, but if they are added to the same disorganized collection, they won't reach their potential usefulness.
Very true. The sad thing is that CHDK wikia has a lot of colaborators and almost none coordinator.

Heh. And I feel sorry for whoever takes that job on.

There is a lot of info to be organized

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intrnst

99
A710IS + Morebest

Re: Newbie issues, still -

« Reply #14 on: 22 / May / 2008, 01:21:18 »

Quote from: A_Str8 on 21 / May / 2008, 20:21:10

Quote from: intrnst on 21 / May / 2008, 18:08:45
Very true. The sad thing is that CHDK wikia has a lot of colaborators and almost none coordinator.
Heh. And I feel sorry for whoever takes that job on. There is a lot of info to be organized

Maybe again you get right to the point. Luckily I'm disqualified enough for such task.

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-- funny english, be aware -- CHDK for Dummies - The Very First Steps

intrnst

99
A710IS + Morebest

Re: Newbie issues, still -

« Reply #15 on: 24 / May / 2008, 20:14:19 »

Added another section:
Problems: Searching and Posting

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-- funny english, be aware -- CHDK for Dummies - The Very First Steps

intrnst

99
A710IS + Morebest

Re: Newbie issues, still -

« Reply #16 on: 25 / May / 2008, 01:26:58 »

I was checking CHDK in Brief page and wondering, due this page is virtually stopped (since divalents retirement(?)) and CHDK For Dummies is somehow very redundant with: Wouldn't be better join / mix both pages instead of maintaining parallel existences?

The Cons are:

It's a divalent's page and it's not very ethical change its structure without his permission.
- How to do that?

And more important: Currently I believe that CHDK for Newbies has an easily expandable structure plus appealing tittle, but...
- Is this the common sense?

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-- funny english, be aware -- CHDK for Dummies - The Very First Steps

BB

164

Re: Newbie issues, still -

« Reply #17 on: 25 / May / 2008, 01:40:22 »

Intrnst,

I am not a Wiki guy--but from what I have seen in the "real world"--the person that actually does the work is usually welcome to own the page/project.

So, it has been 6 months since the last major set of edits by a named user--and the page(s) is showing its age.

My 2 cents--Edit the page in one large change and post it... If somebody does not like it, they can always revert it back with just a couple clicks (you can leave a comment inviting discussion/reversion if somebody feels strongly about the changes).

And, if you are going to delete a page--it may be nicer to first remove the contents and point to the new/combined information page. Then a few days later, delete the old page and remove from index(?). (this part is just a suggestion, I don't know the implications of deleting a page and how easy it is to find and restore).

Intrnst, you are doing a very nice job so far--go for it! (my one vote).

-Bill

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Stephen Gillette

3

Re: Newbie issues, still -

« Reply #18 on: 25 / May / 2008, 14:51:17 »

Almost 2/3 of the way into the "...for Dummies" I found this: "CHDK generates a 10 bit non standard RAW file, few commercial programs support this format."

This should be better highlighted and explained among the first steps and descriptions. Something like this: "IMPORTANT! After correctly installing CHDK on your SD card and booting it on your camera, the raw files you create will likely NOT open in the application you are used to using for image processing. But don't worry! A third-party application is available to convert this "non-standard" raw file into one which is easily processed."

The point is that I had this very problem: I waded through volumes of info on the site, successfully downloaded the CHDK app, got it on the card, booted it on the camera, took some raw pics, and then...could not open them. My first post for help got me a kind and helpful solution from one member

, and an unhelpful scolding from another

.

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intrnst

99
A710IS + Morebest

Re: Newbie issues, still -

« Reply #19 on: 25 / May / 2008, 15:12:01 »

Bill

I double-read your suggestions. And did it again. I think you are perfectly right about it. Wiki have strong rollback mechanisms and the worst case would be a major rollback. I'll start this merge process in few days, if I receive no major disapproval.

Thanks again for your generous words, I'll try to deserve them.

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-- funny english, be aware -- CHDK for Dummies - The Very First Steps