well i've been using OpenErp for just about 6 months. Really, its been tough to stick with it. After learning most of the core installation stuff i'm finally to the point where I can start helping beginners a little.
I would have moved on but was determined to use a FLOSS application with webservices and a good debian based distribution system so I've plugged away. Finally, after 4 months of trying to get a package installed on our server with email support I've finally been able to start diving in to customize the user experience for my application. I don't know python and am just learning about XML/python. I'm happy to have gotten past several bugs and updates to the point where I am able to learn through trial and error and using a bunch of backups. The forum has been ALMOST zero help. The eBOOK and blog did help me a few times. I think the problem is that its more enjoyable and natural to learn and teach in a more interactive environment and there are just too few eyeballs here. First however, software should include: 1) Intuitive Trial and Error 2) Wizards 3) Tooltips 4) In-line searchable documentation But when that fails I look to the community for support. I prefer community support in this order: 1) A well organized and edited wiki how to / FAQ 2) Voice to Voice (obviously only super users would be helpful) 3) Live chat/IRC (critical room size/expertise needed) 4) Google Blog Search (great for common tasks, tutorials, self reported case study) 5) Forum Search (little quality control and formatting conventions unlike a wiki) 6) Forum Question Post and Interaction (critical for unique cases and developing wiki articles since people don't use the discuss feature of wiki's) 10) wiki Book 11) pdf 12) printed book Software books are often inefficient as a reference. They are better as an introduction to concepts and the basics every user must know to use the software. Computer and Accounting savy people hopefully would never even need this if the program is as intuitive as it should be. Since I am not accounting savy and was/am unfamiliar with MVC and object/relationship database software I found these sections in the book critical before the modular design of OpenErp began to make sense. At first I just tried it and it seemed clunky as hell. But now that I understand the concepts, I'm more excited to wade through it all. I think it would be nice if the community was able to monitor the Forum for beginner questions. The frequent ones should be stickied and the best answers should be voted as most helpful. That information should be edited listed in the OP's first post and a link to the wiki article that was created from the most viewed stickies should be linked there. A template, voting system and community support work flow could foster the evolution of common questions from a forum post up to a FAQ-How-to Wiki page. Fatwallet hotdeal forums has a voting system and a "editable quick summary" of the thread's current status. The Quick Summary could be the basis for the wiki article if there are enough votes. If the wiki is solid the thread could be locked and stickied as a FAQ- see wiki. -------------------- m2f -------------------- -- http://www.openobject.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=34581#34581 -------------------- m2f -------------------- _______________________________________________ Tinyerp-users mailing list http://tiny.be/mailman/listinfo/tinyerp-users
