I think all of this is the result of growing pains. The Wiki format is new for Remedy. It has some kinks to be worked out to make it easier to use. Our collective efforts in using and maintaining the site will improve the usability, over time.
One suggestion I'd like to make is around the general organization of the documentation. Splunk uses something similar to confluence to manage it's documentation, but the site is a bit better organized: http://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk On the front page of the documentation, you can basically select the documentation you would like to view (which, coincidentally is organized like the pdf manuals from previous releases of Remedy). Once you drill into one manual, you can download that part of the documentation set as a pdf. So, this gives something similar to the previous pdf arrangement, while at the same time incorporating the best of what a Wiki has to offer (continuous updates, search and index capabilities, etc.). I would like to see a better method of organization on the BMC Remedy documentation site. Something that bridges the gap between the organization of the documentation and the format. If something similar to Splunk's implementation were adopted, I think it would go a long way in the right direction. Another area that I see will be a challenge is the management of documentation for multiple releases. Right now only version 8 is documented using this method. When additional versions are documented using this method, a good design/plan needs to be used or else finding the right things will get even harder. Axton Grams On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 1:38 PM, Shellman, David <[email protected]>wrote: > ** ** > Thanks > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Easter, David > *Sent:* Friday, November 02, 2012 2:33 PM > > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: ARS Wiki > > ** > > https://docs.bmc.com/docs/display/public/ars8000/PDFs**** > > ** ** > Ready-made PDFs of this space**** > > The following table provides ready-made PDFs that contain snapshots of the > content in this space. Ready-made PDFs are created for new releases and > service packs at the time of their release. Although these PDFs contain all > topics, the content of some topics is better suited for online viewing.*** > * > > *Ready-made PDFs***** > > *Snapshot * > > *Date * > > *File size * > > Version 8.0.00 > <https://docs.bmc.com/docs/download/attachments/149489769/ars8000-092012.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1348177012000> > **** > > September 20, 2012 **** > > *27,412* KB **** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > -David J. Easter**** > > Manager of Product Management, AR System**** > > BSM & Atrium Solutions Management**** > > BMC Software, Inc.**** > > **** > > The opinions, statements, and/or suggested courses of action expressed in > this E-mail do not necessarily reflect those of BMC Software, Inc. My > voluntary participation in this forum is not intended to convey a role as a > spokesperson, liaison or public relations representative for BMC Software, > Inc.**** > > ** ** > > *From:* Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Grooms, Frederick W > *Sent:* Friday, November 02, 2012 11:31 AM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: ARS Wiki**** > > ** ** > > ** **** > > I believe you can download the entire set of docs and load it on your own > web server**** > > ** ** > > Fred**** > > ** ** > > -----Original Message-----**** > > *From:* Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *arslist > *Sent:* Friday, November 02, 2012 12:05 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: ARS Wiki**** > > ** ** > > ** **** > > Allow me to summarize: Get Over It! (David Easter may need to add a new > verse to his song).**** > > ** ** > > I first encountered the wiki form of documentation for ADDM, and it never > seemed to match the system,**** > > But that was maintenance no wiki per se at issue.**** > > ** ** > > The folks working on the Wiki documentation were at the BMC booth last > year at WWRUG11.**** > > ** ** > > Wiki: better for searching when you don’t know where something is**** > > Pdf: Better for reading about a specific topic when you do know where it > is and for not being on-line**** > > ** ** > > Is there a way to take the Wiki stuff off line to my iPad or laptop?**** > > Convert to .pdf constantly blows up when I try it**** > > ** ** > > Lol Daniel**** > > ** ** > > -----Original Message-----**** > > *From:* Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Mueller, Doug > *Sent:* November 2, 2012 12:52 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: ARS Wiki**** > > ** ** > > ** **** > > David,**** > > ** ** > > Let's see…**** > > ** ** > > BMC discussed the idea of changing to wiki based documentation at WWRUG > 2011 in the general session (I**** > > know because I discussed it). And, this has been talked about in User > Groups and other gatherings in the**** > > year since then.**** > > ** ** > > BMC has some products that are using wiki based documentation – the ADDM > product for example – and**** > > have been for several years and have gotten a lot of positive customer > feedback on the concept.**** > > ** ** > > BMC did have discussions with various advisory boards and customers in > general about the concept of moving**** > > to a new approach for documentation and received pretty much universal > comments that a move to a more**** > > interactive approach that is available from anywhere, can be linked > easily, can be commented on and updated**** > > quickly was a good approach to take.**** > > ** ** > > No, BMC did not talk with every customer individually about the change, > but there was over a year of prior**** > > discussion that there was going to be a change and there was exploration > of the topic with many customers**** > > well in advance of any move.**** > > ** ** > > Yes this is different (and I am someone who loves books and want the paper > in my hands and refuses to use**** > > electronic books of any form). There is a different feel and there is a > different interaction paradigm.**** > > ** ** > > There have been several comments from folks where there have been problems > interacting with the docs. If**** > > you have comments/suggestions about specific data or specific pages, > definitely use the comments section**** > > and as has been shared, the doc team is actively watching and responding > to comments. If there are larger**** > > issues like general navigation concerns or problems getting to functions > like printing, just include a note in your**** > > posting that you would be willing to talk with the doc team about your > experience and I am sure that I can**** > > have someone in contact with you to listen to your feedback (just like > there was a team at WWRUG 2012 to**** > > do just that) and see if there isn't something more generic that can be > changed.**** > > ** ** > > Overall, the idea of online doc, more wiki style is a style of > documentation that more and more customers are**** > > asking for and expecting. There was a similar reaction to the change from > printed documents to on-line only**** > > documents that happened 5 to 7 years ago.**** > > ** ** > > If you are having challenges, please leave comments or volunteer to have a > discussion with the doc team so**** > > they can provide the best doc experience possible.**** > > ** ** > > Doug Mueller**** > > ** ** > > -----Original Message-----**** > > *From:* Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [ > mailto:[email protected] <[email protected]>] *On Behalf Of *David M. > Clark > *Sent:* Friday, November 02, 2012 9:38 AM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: ARS Wiki**** > > ** ** > > ** **** > > ARS 8 was released September 20, correct? So asking for opinions on the > change a month later at RUG isn’t what I’m suggesting. I’m asking if > proper consultation with the developer community… the primary users of such > documentation… was held prior to making the decision. Apparently not, > given the current discussion.**** > > ** ** > > -----Original Message-----**** > > *From:* Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [ > mailto:[email protected] <[email protected]>] *On Behalf Of *Shellman, > David > *Sent:* Friday, November 02, 2012 11:30 AM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: ARS Wiki**** > > ** ** > > ** **** > > AT WWRUG12, BMC/Remedy was formally asking people's opinions of the new > documentation. Any one could schedule time to sit with the developers and > discuss.**** > > **** > > Dave**** > > ** ** > > -----Original Message-----**** > > *From:* Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) > [mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of *David M. Clark > *Sent:* Friday, November 02, 2012 12:27 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: ARS Wiki**** > > ** **** > > Just curious… anyone here remember being asked their opinion on this > change in format prior to them doing it? That would seem like a good idea. > **** > > ** ** > > -----Original Message-----**** > > *From:* Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) > [mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Shellman, David > *Sent:* Friday, November 02, 2012 10:34 AM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: ARS Wiki**** > > ** ** > > ** **** > > As I said. I prefer the OLD PDF documentation.**** > > **** > > Dave**** > > ** ** > > -----Original Message-----**** > > *From:* Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) > [mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of *patrick zandi > *Sent:* Friday, November 02, 2012 11:32 AM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: ARS Wiki**** > > ** Dave: > the new problem is the references in the PDF's point to links on the > internet.. =8^ P**** > > -- > Patrick Zandi > > **** > > -----Original Message-----**** > > On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 11:06 AM, Shellman, David wrote:**** > > ** **** > > I prefer the old PDF documentation. Note that on our servers, browser > access to the Internet is blocked. So to access any external documentation > is a multistep process.**** > > **** > > I can have the PDF's saved locally on our server that I can open. Or I > can store them on my iPad to view.**** > > **** > > In each case I don't have to go searching for anything. It's in one place > and clearly identified by name.**** > > **** > > Dave**** > > ** ** > > -----Original Message-----**** > > *From:* Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Warren R. Baltimore II > *Sent:* Friday, November 02, 2012 10:52 AM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: ARS Wiki**** > > ** **** > > I get the sharing aspect of it, but the problem is that it is neither > intuitive or fully baked (a BMC specialty if you ask me). It shouldn't > take me an hour to find documentation and finally have to submit a helpdesk > ticket to do so. And then, they send me the wrong thing because obviously, > they are working with the same system (to their credit!) and can't find the > right stuff either!**** > > **** > > I mentioned to a friend that when I go looking for docs anymore, I feel a > little like Indiana Jones trying to find some weird artifact deep in the > bowels of some dangerous tomb....**** > > -- > Warren R. Baltimore II > Remedy Developer > 410-533-5367**** > > ** ** > > -----Original Message-----**** > > On Fri, Nov 2, 2012 at 9:55 AM, Drew Shuller wrote:**** > > ** Hi Warren. The Wiki takes some getting used to. I agree, it's painful, > but it's very useful. > > I'll be reading something one day and then won't be able to find it a > couple of days later. And, they seem to be adding things as we go along. I > swear, there has been very useful information about 8.0 added in the last > two weeks, after I started the ITSM install process. Some of the 8.0 > information still refers to 7.6.4, and sometimes the information isn't > where you would think it should be. I wish the website ran faster. I do > miss the Master Index. > > But overall it's a good resource. You can add pages or entire sections to > your favorites section on the Dashboard, which is a lifesaver for me. You > can leave a comment on any particular page, which is a huge plus. You can > see the change history of a page. You can generate a pdf or Office document > of any page, or forward a page via email. So it's a living breathing set of > documents that BMC seems to be updating regularly. > > Drew > JTF-Bravo, Honduras**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > _attend WWRUG12 www.wwrug.com ARSlist: "Where the Answers Are"_ **** > _attend WWRUG12 www.wwrug.com ARSlist: "Where the Answers Are"_ > _attend WWRUG12 www.wwrug.com ARSlist: "Where the Answers Are"_ > _______________________________________________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE or access ARSlist Archives at www.arslist.org attend wwrug12 www.wwrug12.com ARSList: "Where the Answers Are"
