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Features / Usability

Features / Usability


Re: Re: Re: Histrionics?

posts: 3665 United States

I'll weigh in here.... and my background is in end-user support, usability, UX, etc.

There are some important points that I'd like to make:

1. Tiki is unlike any other project (open source or otherwise). Other projects (such as Joomla) have a top-down formalized structure. Tiki is completely opposite: it is bottom-up. There's no one "in charge" and no formal process. Everyone/anyone can do just about anything they want (regarding code, features, doc, etc.). You might enjoy reading [http://www.computer.org/portal/web/csdl/abs/html|"A Process That Is Not(external link)"[ by Hakan Erdogmus, published in the November/December 2009 (Vol. 26, No. 6) issue of IEEE Software magazine for some background.

2. As a result of #1, Tiki is very developer-centric (especially in terms of doc and support). This is starting to change as more and more "non-Tiki developers" (such as yourself) join the community. Some Tiki-ers (such as myself) have produced end-user docs aimed at the non-Tiki developer. There are some nice articles on WikiHow that you might want to review, in addition to my Tiki for Dummies Smarties and Tiki Essentials guides.

3. As a result of #2, Tiki is far less "polished" then you may be used to, a lot of time the emphasis is simply on getting the feature stable. However, this has changed in recent releases, the the addition of the Quality team, an emphasis on usabliity, etc. Again, if you think something needs improvement, you're encouraged (see #1) to make the change.

4. End-users (such as yourself) do have an expectation for things to "just work" and I sympathize with your experiences with WebDAV. It is a fairly new feature so I'm sure it isn't at 100% just yet, as a result of #3. I experienced much of your frustration when I joined the community. And it is what led me to write Smarties, and make UI changes, and work on website organziation, etc.

5. And finally, Tiki unlike Joomla emphasizes its community aspect. We (and now, you too!) are Tiki. Unlike Joomla (where a very small percentage of folks who run a Joomla-powered website or a Wordpress-blog are actively involved in the community and development) with Tiki it is the opposite. Anyone can help improve the docs (even just to fix a typo. Anyone can update the code (again, even just small tweaks are appreciated). Unlike Joomla or Wordpress, where 99.99% of its "users" stay silent, Tiki requires that the user community take a active role. Unless someone does something, no one does anything.


Maybe Tiki isn't for you.... maybe it is. If it is, I encourage you join a Tiki Team and get involved. I don't know what your background is, but there are teams beyond simply coding... Maybe you're a lawyer and want to help on the Legal team. Or maybe you're an artist and want to help on the Themes team. Or maybe you're a hardware guru and want to help on the Infrastructure team. Or maybe you're bilingual and want to help on the i18n team.

Anyway hopefully this has helped explain some things. Tiki is different from everything else, and as a result, it may take a different kind of person to become comfortable with the community.


HTH,

- Rick | My Tiki Blog | My Tiki UserPage
Need more help? Try Tiki for Dummies Smarties: A beginner's guide.
New: Tiki Essentials: What all Smarties need to know about Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware.

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