h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I could help with that beginner's guide

RhoMuNuQ

To whom ever does do a complete beginners guide can I,as a teacher point out that you must assume that you are dealing with someone who doesn't know anything.Which means you have to start with the extremely basics and right at the beginning.It might seem obvius to say this but you would be surprised how many fail to really understand how basic they have to get.

Incog.Who really hates not understanding how to use Guide ML.After all I just used a web editor to set up my own webpage.

Is that a license to be condescending then?

I suppose the way to do it would be to perhaps have a set of articles, each building on the previous one, so that people can choose what level they need to start at.

Vol 0: What is markup? Why markup? Where's the anykey?

Vol 1: Converting from plain text to GuideML.

Vol 2: Using GuideML in articles, and approved GuideML.

Vol 3: Graphics and things which go whizz!

Vol 4: Advanced GuideML: more yness than you thought possible.

Only a rough outline, I can already spot some things I'd change, perhaps a bit larger than the original suggestion was intending?

spelugx -- _not_ volunteering to write the thing

Yes,your suggestion sounds good.

But how can it be condescending to assume that not everyone starts from the same level.It's just common sense and anyone who gets offended really should remember this.It is easier in a class room because you just split your students into ability groupings and work from there so if you have no rank beginners you can start from a higher level.However online this isn't really possible.

Incog.

I was a complete ignaramous about a year ago. I knew nothing about GuideML and thought it was all a bit too complicated so shoved it to one side for ages. Then one day I sat and had a look through other peoples Personal Spaces and it all sort of clicked into place.

All you have to do is think of putting in tags as playing a game of "Simon Says!"

"Simon Says" = <"command">....so



...means centre my text on the page (the < and the > are the things that make the command a "tag")

If you want to stop your text being in the centre you have to "stop" the tag. You do this by putting a / in so it will look like this...




...

is this too condescending?

Not really.

I proposed this as a collaborative topic, and while it may not end up being a 'proper' one on the front page and all, we may end up with several Researchers grouping together to produce the ultimate beginner's guide to GuideML. Everyone is, of course, welcome to contribute!

From what I've seen, and I haven't really tried using it, it looks a bit like an extension of the coding that the old Locoscript word processor used on the old Amstrad WP machines (help, I feel old!).
I do think this would be really useful but without finding the time to play with it myself at the moment I can't really contribute more than my encouragement.
Unless you want an idiot tester, of course!

Spelugx - I think those are great suggested titles.

Lady in a tree - I think that your example has a good tone.

My - I'd suggest writing the pages in a similar way to how University projects are written - one person creates the index page and organises all the writers (including, possibly, themself). All the pages written are then linked to by the index page. If everyone likes that idea but no-one else wants to do the organisation, I'd volunteer to do so. Comments?

RhoMuNuQ

Step forward, RhoMuNuq, Official Indexer, h2g2 Idiots Guide to GuideML!

A "Yes" vote! Thanks!

Any more comments?

RhoMuNuQ

I'll say yes to you doing the index page, although I'm currently trying to write volume 0 in my outline above, so lets see what comes of that.

spelugx

As I said before, if anyone wants me to test drive what they've written I will happily help.
It's not that I can't do it, or can't be a*sed, but I don't have the time for untutored experimentation!

In that case, I'll at least start to organise the entries, unless there are any major objections!

Narapoia - It would be great if you could test it out, but it might be a little while before the entries are written

RhoMuNuQ

Volume 0: A985737 (still being written as we speak)

S'okay by me.
Even simple stuff like links to other conversations/entries would be useful. I can do the necessary cutting and pasting for links to other sites but I'm not clear how much is needed for other threads. That's in conversations as well as entries!
So if I do
F19585?thread=248611&skip=0&show=20
will it work? Or do I need more snazzy stuff? *previews* Well it works in conversations, but does it work in entries?
While you're at it, perhaps someone could look into my suggestion in that thread for a simple way to find out who's got you on their Friends list??!

Simpler than the current way of using GuideML and adding to your page?

I've created an index page - A985773

RhoMuNuQ

this is fantastic. from one researcher(me) getting a headache we now have about 3 researchers dedicating time to end this headache.

creachy

No problem - hopefully we'll finish the project as well!

RhoMuNuQ

it looks good so far.