On Fri, Oct 26, 2012 at 7:57 PM, Dave Fisher <dave2w...@comcast.net> wrote: > > On Oct 26, 2012, at 2:06 PM, Louis Suárez-Potts wrote: > >> Hi >> Every now and then a user finds the experience of downloading, installing, >> using AOO disappointing and frankly frustrating if not worse. They will >> usually go to the user forums, but sometimes they will contact the Apache >> Foundation directly. Okay, but this does not really help them. >> >> What we did with OpenOffice was set up a Support page, which has since been >> moved to here, http://www.openoffice.org/support/. It's pretty much an >> improved version of the old but of course the "ecosystem" needs further >> fleshing out—it suffers from a lack of substantial existence. >> >> I'm also not persuaded that the route to it from either the application >> download page or homepage or wherever is redundantly clear enough for the >> befuddled enduser who installs AOO to replace his or her whatever suite and >> doesn't really know where to go….. >> >> So, my query is the usual impossible question: What can we do to make it >> clearer to the puzzled and frustrated how to get help? Sure, we can have a >> knowledge base (kb), FAQ, etc., and also enthusiastic community members. >> >> But what would you suggest as a path, or paths for the user? I personally >> would include something in the installation sets that point to the support >> page above; but also banners, say, or tags, stickers—glaringly obvious neon >> coloured blinking lights?—to relay users to useful pages. >> >> Ideas? > > We could emulate a version of what the ASF does to highlight the many > projects. Take a look at www.apache.org - you will see a feature project > section. > > Perhaps on www.openoffice.org we can add a "Featured Support Question / > Language / News". This would be backed by an xml file of FAQs, Languages and > News which would randomly be selected every day and republished to the front > page. >
I like the idea in general, but from a support perspective I think we need to get the feed down to the client. Why? Because users have no current reason to visit www.openoffice.org homepage on a regular basis. It is not really a necessary place for them to visit, once they've downloaded. Most users just want to get their work done. They don't have any emotional attachment to AOO. It is just a tool. If they are thinking about their tools rather then their work, then something is probably wrong. This is not sexy, Apple-like technology that users go gooey over. It is a good day that a user thinks about their document, but not about their word processor. The task is in the forefront, the tool recedes into the background, like any good tool an extension of the user. Well, that's one ideal, at least. So in terms of priorities, we should want: 1) Fewer bugs, not more bug FAQ's 2) Less need for support, not a more prominent support page 3) More quick avenues for self-help rather than hard-to-scale support offerings 4) More skill-building pages, ways user can become more productive with the tools. We could make a destination that users would actually visit if we could pull together solid content on "power tips", extensions reviews, lists of topical templates (for holidays, tax time, etc.). -Rob > Regards, > Dave > >> >> Thanks >> Louis >> >
