Programmers Guide - Wiki Website and/or Manual?

[GeorgeMcGinn]

I have been working on the Programmer's Guide for a while, learning what I can, dissecting SmartBASIC, sometimes to the annoyance of others, but with the intention to put out a guide that has practical programming tips, tricks and techniques while using real world examples, and in many cases, showing how to merge different sections, such has Networking and File Input/Output and screen display.

Rather than wait for this manual, which my estimate will be at least 15o pages when done, I am suggesting that I create a Wiki site where I can upload sections, code, and new/additional information as I develop it instead of letting it sit in Scrivener or Word and being useless to everyone.

I have my own hardware server (right now it is stored at BYU and has been at one of their facilities for 20 years now. I have also entered talks with IBM's SoftLayer division to upgrade to a brand new machine, which I may close the deal in February.

Either machine, I can install the Wiki system, assign it a domain name, and run it free of charge, as my machine out west is already paid for and my fees have been so reduced that I have no programs with maintaining it.

Also, others will have admin ability, just in case something happens to me, someone can step in to help keep the site up.

I also plan to run my own version of Rosetta, but just for SmartBASIC, which my manual had programming exercises just like the lessons Mr. K. put up here.

I got the idea when I was looking at the JustBASIC pages and other languages use Wiki to document their product, as it creates a living document where anyone who has a better way or different way can add to the collective knowledge.

This will be strictly a document site, and not a forum site. It is not designed to replace this forum. I thought it would be a quicker and better way to get out the pages for the programmer's guide quicker and allow other's input.

Please let me know what you think of this.

BTW: The pages may be written in English, but the Wiki software will translate the pages to any language used by users here so they can have full access in their native language.

Thoughts?

[Mr. Kibernetik]

As for me, I think any resource you consider useful for programming, especially using smart BASIC, is a great help.
Of course we will have a dedicated topic here with link to your resource and its discussion.

[sarossell]

Your wiki idea sounds awesome. Especially since Rosetta could evaporate without notice. I look forward to seeing what you have in your Programmer's Guide also. If there's anything I can help with, please let me know. I live to edit and proofread. I'm also fairly good at finding things and researching.

[Dutchman]

…
I also plan to run my own version of Rosetta, but just for SmartBASIC, which my manual had programming exercises just like the lessons Mr. K. put up here. …

Great idea
Access to Rosetta for adding code is cumbersome

[GeorgeMcGinn]

I've done some research (and haven't slept in 4 nights) but I've looked at all the available Wiki software that is free and I can run on my own server.

WikiMedia is right now my top choice. For now, I will run it on my iMac to make sure installation and setup is easy, and I can identify problems before going to a real website.

I have given some thought to website names, as while SmartBASIC is my main concern, I may want to allow others to operate their own programming or computer science Wiki. It will be specific only to the computer industry, which will give SmartBASIC, its main focus, top exposure to anyone who I may let operate their own Wiki.

Mr. K – I will send you a PM when I decide on names. My ideal is to have SmartBASIC as a subdomain (http://smartbasic.mydomain.com) but if I decide to split it from the Wiki I may allow others to use, I will pass you names for approval, and insist that you and one other have admin access to the website, just in case something happens to me, it can be maintained.

Since I will have two options (IBM's Softlayer) or putting it on my own machine out by BYU, in either case, we can discuss ownership of the domain name, since the product is yours and if the website has your product as a name, you should have admin powers over it as well.

I have started to relook at what I wrote so far, and will first send some samples to Scott to check out his technical writing skills (sorry, its only prudent to give this to you instead of a job interview) and I will send several chapters (will be now pages) to you and one other you designate to look at and approve, make changes, etc. before anything that bears yours or your product names goes live to the public.

We also need to discuss whether only customers will have access to this guide, or whether you want the public to have access. That's your call as I do not want to give out anything to competitors that may detract from future sales. I anticipate that once this guide gets going and has a lot more information to it, it should add more value to your product.

And lastly, Ton, I can also put your manual up here as well. I do not know if this will be a help for you in making future updates, and with Wiki, you can control who has access to edit your document. Give it some thought, as I refer to your document in mine, and sometimes it would be easy to provide a link directly from my page to the section they need to read in the Reference Manual.

I can link to a PDF document if you chose not to create a Wiki version, but the PDF file you create must at least have a TOC that is linkable. It may be already, but I printed mine out and it gets more use than any of my other manuals.

One thing I notice from other Wiki software, and I think WikiMedia also has it, but it has the ability to create PDF's of the pages and even the site, so if someone wants to print out a copy of your manual, they should be able to convert it to PDF for printing.

Take your time and let me know what your pleasure is.

George.

[Dutchman]

…
Ton, I can also put your manual up here as well. I do not know if this will be a help for you in making future updates, and with Wiki, you can control who has access to edit your document. Give it some thought, as I refer to your document in mine, and sometimes it would be easy to provide a link directly from my page to the section they need to read in the Reference Manual. …

That is a good proposal. The source is written in "OpenOffice", but can also be processed with "LibreOffice".
Both office suites are free to use and generate open source file formats.
It is therefore accessible by others without the requirement of a specific operating system.

[GeorgeMcGinn]

Are you talking about the Apache Open Office? I just downloaded that to my MAC OS/X Server.

If not, then I'll take a look for it.

George.

…
Ton, I can also put your manual up here as well. I do not know if this will be a help for you in making future updates, and with Wiki, you can control who has access to edit your document. Give it some thought, as I refer to your document in mine, and sometimes it would be easy to provide a link directly from my page to the section they need to read in the Reference Manual. …

That is a good proposal. The source is written in "OpenOffice", but can also be processed with "LibreOffice".
Both office suites are free to use and generate open source file formats.
It is therefore accessible by others without the requirement of a specific operating system.

[Dutchman]

…
Are you talking about the Apache Open Office?

Yes. I run it on my iMac and on my laptop with MS-Windows-7.
In the past I used Framework until it stopped support for Mac-OS.
OpenOffice was the best alternative AND open-source AND free
At first sight the 'child' LibreOffice seems to have a better 'finish', but I have no reason to change.

[GeorgeMcGinn]

Thanks,

I'm going to check out libreOffice sometime this week.

I installed OS/X Server on my iMAC and it is not running nor do I get all the nice admin panels that I used to get with my XeSere G5 server.

I even installed VirtualHostingX (Oracle's Open VM Box) and I still can't get my OS to run a HTTPD website with CGI capabilities.

I'm trying to test out WikiMedia software in a closed system (along with other stuff like my golf course Management system (.ASP web site that several golf courses are running right now) before I let it go out in public, mistakes and all for all to see.

Mr. K – we never resolved, or I don't recall whether access to this should be restricted to those who purchased SmartBASIC, or let the public see some kind of promotional page, with some of the document pages to entice them to purchase and download, or what?

This should be your call.

George.

PS. As soon as I can get a Windows 10 machine, I'll see if there are any SPL tester spots left. I got very bad news on my laptop that the motherboard is fried, so I am still without a Windows device.

…
Are you talking about the Apache Open Office?

Yes. I run it on my iMac and on my laptop with MS-Windows-7.
In the past I used Framework until it stopped support for Mac-OS.
OpenOffice was the best alternative AND open-source AND free
At first sight the 'child' LibreOffice seems to have a better 'finish', but I have no reason to change.

[Mr. Kibernetik]

Mr. K – we never resolved, or I don't recall whether access to this should be restricted to those who purchased SmartBASIC, or let the public see some kind of promotional page, with some of the document pages to entice them to purchase and download, or what?

This is completely up to you to decide what is the content and who are the users of your Wiki website. This is your creativity, not mine.
My creativity is to make a software. In other topics I am either not interested or just have no time for it. If I have a spare minute from my programming, I will spend it on programming So, I hope you understand me.