Tony Collen wrote:...We might need to get away from the "developer" vs "user" notion, because depending on how much about
Cocoon you already know, you might have to hack out a new generator (which would seem to imply
information in the developer section) while you are really a user.
+1 ... we have talked about that many times. Almost every user is a developer. Anyway "Trails" are better navigation method.
+1
I'm starting to think (and I think this resonates with what Tony was saying) that the physical structure of the docs should be flat, wiki-style, having all docs "files" (real files or generated) in a single directory, of very few directories like "reference", "documents" and maybe "technotes".
We can then build all kinds of navigational structures, trails, multiple tables of contents, beginners/advanced, whatever (again picking up on wiki idea of a flat page structure with many navigation paths), but the path to a given document stays valid forever unless documents are removed.
Of course we forfeit compatibility with our existing docs URLs, but I think this is needed anyway to move forward.
This might also make our remodeling easier:
-move all existing docs to a small number of directories like above, "big bag of docs"
-rename docs as needed to give them permanent names
-create a very simple publishing system for now (Forrest probably?), until the new docs system moves forward
-start building the navigations, trails, tables of contents incrementally
-if the docs format changes for the new doc management system, navigation definitions stay valid
I think we need to find a way to get started with this docs remodeling without having to wait too long on our improved doc management system - if an incremental path like above works it might help us get started.
Thoughts?
-Bertrand
P.S. We need to find a name for this new doc management system - I'm low on ideas noew but maybe CDMS? Cocoon Documentation Management System?