We've created the Mod.Zilla user ID so that the moderation staff can all work together to maintain project information on the message boards. Moderators can edit their OWN posts any time, no 1hr time limit. But if an individual moderator, such as Mod9, creates a post, the other moderators cannot alter it. With this Mod.Zilla shared ID, the moderation staff now and going forward will be able to keep the information up to date.

And so we'd like to do a total revamp of the FAQ/Newbie QA/Beyond Newbie QA/ and various project information threads. All of the posts will be created under this Mod.Zilla account.

As moderators, we cannot change the website per se. We can't modify the homepage for example, the project team has to do that. But we can create threads, sticky them so they stay on top of a given message board, and move posts from one thread to another (but the post ID ordering doesn't always show the moved post where we'd like it to appear in the order of things)

Here is what I am picturing and some of the questions about this approach that I have for you.

Some of the goals:
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1) Leave room for QA to be modified over time.
-- covered by creating this Mod.Zilla moderator ID.

2) Plan for the QA to be translated to other languages.

3) Make it easy to find things, but don't lump everything together, because it will be too large for modem users to readily utilize.

4) Make it easy to link in to specific information by retaining the message IDs of the original post going forward.

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Questions, what do you think?

Q1) We all appreciate the efforts of the user community that has worked to create the existing material. But I feel retaining all of the individual user recognition that presently exists is confusing for the new readers of the material. So, I propose we not site the original response's author.

Q2) Should we include a limited number of small graphics to help illustrate some of the concepts? The concern is mainly that of bandwidth, both on the part of the user, and the project server.

Q3) I propose making a FAQ index, it would look something like below. The thread that holds the index would then have a post for a copy of the index in each language. Each section heading would then link in to a single thread with posts for roughly a dozen questions on the topic. There would then be a separate thread for each language. And these thread would not need to be sticky, because the single, all-language FAQ index would be the only sticky.
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When reviewing the materials that exist already, I believe all of the items can rather clearly be incorporated in to one of the following major groupings. I've added some bullets under each to show what I have in mind to place there.

Hopefully these groupings are specific enough, without leaving too much room for a given concept to be discussed in more then one section.

Welcome. What is Rosetta@Home?
-- project science description
-- not for profit status
-- run by University of Washington
-- diseases being studied

How to get started.
-- setting up user accounts
-- downloading BOINC
-- attaching to Rosetta
-- where to find information / get help

How to change settings.
-- signing on to the website
-- Rosetta preferences and some guidelines
-- BOINC preferences and guidelines

Normal operations.
-- describe the graphic
-- time to completion
-- models, vs tasks
-- uploads / downloads / getting more tasks
-- Meaning of task status "preempted", "ready to report" etc.
-- Merging hosts

How to run better.
-- hours of day to run CPU
-- Hyperthreading
-- leave tasks in memory
-- screen saver
-- network preferences
-- saving / scheduling network bandwidth

Handling error messages.
-- how to check for messages
-- meaning of specific messages
-- steps to avoid specific messages
-- when and how to report a problem

Message boards and moderators.
-- posting guidelines
-- moderator contact & appeal process
-- how to make posts
-- when and how to bring something to attention of project team

Teams
-- what they are, how to join one, how to create one, how credits pass to team

Statistics
-- from BOINC Manager
-- from third-party sites


Please let us know your thoughts? Is that too many groupings? Are they clearly differentiated?

--Mod.Sense

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Rosetta Informational Moderator: Mod.Zilla

50 views of this thread, and not a single comment? Suggestion? Issue? Addition? Agreement with the outline? Volunteers to do translations?

Let's discuss your ideas.

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Rosetta Moderator: Mod.Sense

I don't know if this helps, but this is where our equivalent is (the 4 README postings): http://www.climateprediction.net/board/viewforum.php?f=36. There are differences of emphasis because the projects are so different of course.

The models, vs tasks bit might also explain about the differences between different tasks (many bases, few, different algorithms selected), and what effect this has (why you sometimes only get one decoy done versus many). Perhaps a description of simulated annealing, full atom relax, the physics behind it all, ... etc etc.

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You can begin to get a feel for what I am picturing on the New FAQs format.

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Rosetta Moderator: Mod.Sense

I have now filled out some of the catagories in the FAQ, so you can really start to see how it will look once completed.

Wanted to solicit more comments and suggestions on formatting, or how to make it easier to use. By getting comments now, it may save time redoing things later.

I'm thinking that when it is all done, the only sticky thread required is the Summary. And, once it is completed, I'm hoping we can translate at least in to the langauges that have been done for the rest of the website (I'd like to get Spanish and Italian as well, any volunteers?).

This will eliminate about 7 of the 10 stickies presently on the Number Crunching forum.

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Rosetta Moderator: Mod.Sense

I can make the french translations if you want.

That would be great! Thanks for volunteering Thierry. I would just ask that you wait for us to finalize the English version before taking the time to do it. We can coordinate via the moderator's EMail address.

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Rosetta Moderator: Mod.Sense

No problem of course, I'm not in a hurry ;-)

I have already helped to translate the website, is it the same way for the FAQs, with .po files and so?
Thanks

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No, the .po files require the project team to load on to the webserver, and do not allow moderator revision. These are all just the message board posts that you see... but created under our special Mod.Zilla account which will let us keep editing them indefinately. Even as moderator staff changes over time.

The process will be to translate each message post individually and EMail them to us, and we will copy/paste into a new thread for French. Then revise the URL references to point to the corresponding other French posts.

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Rosetta Moderator: Mod.Sense

No news?

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Well news? No. I'm not expecting any news. But I've not been able to devote the time to continue on the FAQs as much as I had hoped, so they are still work in progress.

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Rosetta Moderator: Mod.Sense

bump

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Rosetta Moderator: Mod.Sense

I've been busy with other projects. Are there any volunteers willing to help with the FAQs I've started?

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Rosetta Moderator: Mod.Sense

I am interested. What might be entailed?

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Rosie, Rosie, she's our gal,
If she can't do it, no one shall!

I am interested. What might be entailed?

Basically, just filling in the framework I have outlined (see links in the prior posts of this thread). I'm open to changing the framework as well if you have suggestions there. I just want to make the final post via the Mod.Zilla user ID we have setup, so that the entries can be maintained going forward.

I'd suggest you simply write one item at a time, with any BBCodes and EMail it to me with the specific msg ID where you intend the text be inserted. I'll review it and try to keep the color scheme and linkbacks I've started consistent etc. Then I can post it into the thread via the Mod.Zilla account.

EMail me any questions.

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Rosetta Moderator: Mod.Sense