Web based LibreOffice Q+A site online.

users
#1

Hi,

I would like to introduce you to the newest member of the LibreOffice
website family.

http://ask.libreoffice.org

The AskLibO website provides a space where you can ask (and answer!)
questions related to LibreOffice.

AskLibo is a modern Q+A site, not a Bulletin Board style web forum. So
for those not familiar with such sites, please just dismiss it because
it is new, this type of support site if proving quite valuable for many
communities.

However, as with a BBS forum, or this mail list forum even, it only
functions to meet user needs when others volunteer their time to answer
questions.

I would encourage anyone interested in helping to deliver quality
support to the LibreOffie user community to look kindly on helping do
so.

For those that simply prefer this mailing list
- not to worry - it is not going anywhere.

One Note: Presently the askLibO website UI is English only, the TDF
system administrators are working with the developers of askbot (the
tool used at the site) to provide localization of both user interface
and questions/answers.

Finally - a big thank you to Alexander Werner for all his hard work in
getting the site up and running.

Best wishes,

Drew Jensen

#2

Hi :slight_smile:
Wow! That looks confusing at first glance.  It makes a lot more sense after just a couple of clicks and half-hearted poking around.  I'm in :slight_smile:

Thanks for all the hard work Drew and all :slight_smile:
Many regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#3

Hi :slight_smile:
Wow! That looks confusing at first glance. It makes a lot more sense after just a couple of clicks and half-hearted poking around. I'm in :slight_smile:

Perhaps - but in reality it is just the next step in forum design,
applying lessons learned from the past - it is also a design with a very
focused purpose - support.

When this type of site was advanced by Alex I was rather skeptical but I
put a lot of time into researching how they where working out on other
projects - they are not a magic bullet, meaning that they can fail to
thrive just as any other site might.. but they also offer a lot of good
results when there is an active group of knowledgeable responders to
users questions present.

So - this is _not_ a discussion board, nor is it a social site. Of those
sites I surveyed, which where flourishing, this distinction is actively
enforced when necessary.

Thanks for all the hard work Drew and all :slight_smile:

well, to be clear - I did nothing on this, it is all Alex's work!

Best wishes,

//drew

<snip>

Hi,

I would like to introduce you to the newest member of the LibreOffice
website family.

http://ask.libreoffice.org

The AskLibO website provides a space where you can ask (and answer!)
questions related to LibreOffice.

<snip>

#4

Thanks for sharing this! Never heard of askbot before (me stackexchange fanboy :wink:

These kind of Q+A sites can really bring community support to a whole new level as they (IMHO) combine the best features of a forum, a mailing list and a wiki while being accessible through a single site/login and being easy to use.

So many thanks to the people who established this site!

To all the other supporters and myself: Go create an account and start/continue supporting :wink:

Mario

#5

drewjensen wrote

Finally - a big thank you to Alexander Werner for all his hard work in
getting the site up and running.

Congratulations to Alexander. I had already tested and collaborated on the
trial askbot site.

I think this a fantastic tool AND it has OpenID sign in validation. I hope
all LibreOffice sites follow this trend (especially bugzilla!)

Regards,
Pedro

#6

Hi,

I would like to introduce you to the newest member of the LibreOffice
website family.

http://ask.libreoffice.org

The AskLibO website provides a space where you can ask (and answer!)
questions related to LibreOffice.

So it's a forum.

AskLibo is a modern Q+A site, not a Bulletin Board style web forum.

Oops! No, it is not.

for those not familiar with such sites, please just dismiss it because
it is new, this type of support site if proving quite valuable for many
communities.

Call me dumb if you like but I find these are very vague sentences that could describe anything. What is AskLibO? It is not a forum, it it not a list... so what is it?

Could you be more specific please?

However, as with a BBS forum, or this mail list forum even, it only
functions to meet user needs when others volunteer their time to answer
questions.

I'm lost. These words sound just like marketting hype. Which I guess they are not. Some clarification about what is what and for whom is needed.

Anyway, thanks a lot for the hard work.

#7

I answered a question,

When i look at my profile, under activity, i see a link to the article i
reacted on:
"How do I get document information from the command line?"
which links to:
http://ask.libreoffice.org/question/13/how-do-i-get-document-information-from-the-command#22

When i follow the link i get a 404-error:
(http://ask.libreoffice.orgundefined22/)

#8

Hello Luuk,

"How do I get document information from the command line?"
which links to:
http://ask.libreoffice.org/question/13/how-do-i-get-document-information-from-the-command#22

When i follow the link i get a 404-error:
(http://ask.libreoffice.orgundefined22/)

Works here. Maybe you tried to follow the link too soon.

#9

IE9, on Windows7, i stil have the problem,
FF (whatever version they are on now) works....

#10

Ok, I found out in the FAQ, which link is in very small chars at the bottom, BTW.

-> I find the char size to be somewhat big, while the FAQ link should be emphasized.

Have a good day,

#11

Hello Luuk,

IE9, on Windows7, i stil have the problem,

Can't try IE (not a Windows user)

FF (whatever version they are on now) works....

Which is what I use. I use v9, but it's up to 10, IIRC. Anyhow, your
problem; Cached copy of the page, perhaps? Beyond that, I have no idea.

#12

its not a cached copy, i checked by deleting temp-files, and restarting
IE.....

The page gets loaded, but its seems to be refreshed because of some
javascript.

#13

Hi,

>
> I would like to introduce you to the newest member of the LibreOffice
> website family.
>
> http://ask.libreoffice.org
>
> The AskLibO website provides a space where you can ask (and answer!)
> questions related to LibreOffice.

So it's a forum.

Sure as is this mailing list.

>
> AskLibo is a modern Q+A site, not a Bulletin Board style web forum.

Oops! No, it is not.

> for those not familiar with such sites, please just dismiss it because
> it is new, this type of support site if proving quite valuable for many
> communities.

Call me dumb if you like but I find these are very vague sentences that
could describe anything. What is AskLibO? It is not a forum, it it not a
list... so what is it?

Could you be more specific please?

Yes, I suppose - but not here, seems a number of people are asking for a
better FAQ, that would seem like the place to put effort..

>
> However, as with a BBS forum, or this mail list forum even, it only
> functions to meet user needs when others volunteer their time to answer
> questions.

I'm lost. These words sound just like marketting hype. Which I guess
they are not. Some clarification about what is what and for whom is needed.

'someone asks a question' - the goal of the site it to answer questions
- 'the site only works if someone actually shows up and answers the
question'

Does that clarify?

Anyway, thanks a lot for the hard work.

Anyway thanks,

Drew

#14

It does, yes, thank you :slight_smile:

I was unsure to what that new thing is. There's a forum already. This seems to be yet another resource. For John Doe, the average user, what's the difference between Ask and the forum? Don't you fear to spread the volunteers' efforts in one more place?

#15

Hmm - yes, it is a concern from a general perspective. In the concrete
instance of the moment and of course IMO this new site will not do so.

A couple of factors, but none larger then the fact that the user base is
growing at a steady pace and the number of people available to 'work'
these sites will also grow.

Another factor, there is sufficient differentiation between existing BBS
forums, mailing lists and this Q+A site, with regard to how the service
offers services, that questioners and responders alike will likely self
select which service type they are most comfortable with.

Best wishes,

//drew

#16

I was unsure to what that new thing is. There's a forum already.

AFAIK, there is no official LO forum. Yet, because I heard that there is one
planned (but I can't find reliable source right now).

This
seems to be yet another resource. For John Doe, the average user, what's
the difference between Ask and the forum?

I see forum as place when people can interact. They can ask questions related
to LO and answer them, but they can also chat about music, movies or just
arrange for a beer.

Ask is focused on questioning and answering. There is no place for so called
"offtopics".

On Ask, users may also vote for answers. The one with most votes is marked as
"best" and placed just below question. If someone get to Ask from search
engine, he or she will not be forced to read all messages to get into answer
he or she wants. It will be right at the top of page.

For "average user", Ask is also easier. It is something many users are used
to, in contrary to mailing lists, which "average users" find difficult (some
weeks ago we had many posts from frustrated users who could not unsubscribe
from the list).

Don't you fear to spread the
volunteers' efforts in one more place?

This is possible. Although I think that most of people will check all of them:
Ask, forum (when it's ready) and mailing list(s).

#17

Jean-Francois Nifenecker wrote

I was unsure to what that new thing is. There's a forum already. This
seems to be yet another resource. For John Doe, the average user, what's
the difference between Ask and the forum?

ask.libreoffice.org has a vote function, so the 'best' answer is voted up so
it is physically closest to the question on the page, not buried 3-4 pages
in.

This should mean the best/most popular answer can usually be found quicker.

#18

> I was unsure to what that new thing is. There's a forum already.

AFAIK, there is no official LO forum. Yet, because I heard that there is one
planned (but I can't find reliable source right now).

> This
> seems to be yet another resource. For John Doe, the average user, what's
> the difference between Ask and the forum?

I see forum as place when people can interact. They can ask questions related
to LO and answer them, but they can also chat about music, movies or just
arrange for a beer.

Ask is focused on questioning and answering. There is no place for so called
"offtopics".

On Ask, users may also vote for answers. The one with most votes is marked as
"best" and placed just below question. If someone get to Ask from search
engine, he or she will not be forced to read all messages to get into answer
he or she wants. It will be right at the top of page.

For "average user", Ask is also easier. It is something many users are used
to, in contrary to mailing lists, which "average users" find difficult (some
weeks ago we had many posts from frustrated users who could not unsubscribe
from the list).

> Don't you fear to spread the
> volunteers' efforts in one more place?

This is possible. Although I think that most of people will check all of them:
Ask, forum (when it's ready) and mailing list(s).

Right - and of course one could offer a search function that spans all
of the different support areas.

An un-official (mine) site that offers such is found here:
http://lo-portal.us/libo/

The Google CSE (Custom Search Engine) includes all of the current
LibreOffice sites, both official (Wiki, On-Line Help, Mail list archives
and AskLibO) and un-official forums (LibreOfficeForum, etc)

Anyway - the page is a bit rough, but it will get a major overhaul next
week and the CSE is available for anyone wishing to use it at their own
sites also.

Best wishes,

//drew

#19

Ah, yes, I see. Interesting feature, indeed. Good luck to the new tool!