The Help Page Update Project
Created | Updated Jan 8, 2012
This project succeeded in updating 29 help pages. Thanks to Icy North, Matt the Hoopy, Jhawkesby and Malabarista for their help. The project has now been superseded by new efforts to keep h2g2's Help system relevant.
Some of h2g2's Help Pages remain largely unchanged since the site's earlier years and aren't as good as they could be. The Help Page Update Project aims to re-write them in order to make the site more accessible and easier for new users to understand.
Can I Help?
- Update a Help Page
- Comment on Updates
- Get the Badge
If you want to update a Help Page, please do. Any update does of course have to be perfect in terms of spelling, punctuation and grammar - no pressure, huh? There are many Help Pages of varying sizes, ranging from less than 300 words up to around 3,000.
If you don't feel up to updating a Help Page, please do comment on updates both here and in Peer Review.
There's also a Challenge Update thread to suggest pages that need updating, and a Comments Please thread for anything else you want to say.
See A28751132 to get the GuideML for the project's badges.
Guidelines
Help is available, so don't be shy. All updates must pass through Peer Review to the satisfaction of the h2g2 Community, and the h2g2 Editors will have the final say. The project has the Editors' support provided the updates are similar in nature to my update of the Writing Guidelines - hence, some simple rules:
- Don't change the meaning, just make it easier to understand.
- However, do correct any painfully out-of-date references.
- Try to reduce wordiness.
- Make the chunks bite-size and make it easy to find answers to the questions newbies might ask.
- Leave alone anything pertaining to terms and conditions, legal stuff, copyright, suspensions or moderation.
- There is no rule six1.
How to Update a Help Page
- Step One
- Step Two
- Step Three
- Step Three
Find yourself a Help Page to re-write from the list below. It may make sense to take on entries that rely on one another.
For each update, create a brand new Entry with a title like this:
Help Page Update: *Writing for the Edited Guide*
Use this box to notify the project for each entry:
HPU: Writing for the Edited Guide
I intend to update "Entry Name".
The old version is at A????? aka <./>NamedEntry</.>*.
My update can be found at A????????.
[Username]
[U number]
*Please add this for Named Entries (You know, like 'Writing-Guidelines'. There's a list at NamedEntries.)
Use the <./>tags</.> so that the Named Entry displays as a link in the conversation thread.
A-numbers for Named Entries can be found in the title bar (in Brunel) or by using the Search function.
For example:
HPU: Thanks for Registering with h2g2 - Welcome!
I intend to update "Thanks for Registering with h2g2 - Welcome!".
The old version is at A53146 aka Welcome.
My update can be found at A42180176.
Alex
U566116
Once you've done this, others can post their opinions as to flaws in the old version, and you can keep us all informed as to your progress.
Once the update is ready, let me know and I'll give it a quick once over to check that it conforms to the project's aims. Don't forget to untick the 'Not for Review' box. Once there's room in Peer Review (we try not to overload it with updates) I'll submit it to Peer Review, and once the rest of h2g2 are happy I'll let the h2g2 Editors know via Editorial Feedback. The Eds will then decide whether it's suitable. You won't necessarily be credited on the Help Page for your work (it depends on the type of page), but you will gain credit here.
Thanks for your help.
Help Pages Updated/Needing an Update
The following table has been edited to remove entries that are less suitable for update. The original, full table of Help Pages has been moved here.
= Update Completed
X = Not Available for Updating
Suggestions
This section is here to keep track of some of the suggestions Researchers have made:
A project to update the h2g2 Picture Library - this has led to The h2g2 Picture Library - Community Art Edition.
A page similar to What Happens When Someone Submits Your Entry to a Review Forum? that would be linked to from all automatic "your entry has been submitted" messages.
A revamp or removal of the volunteer lists on the various volunteer pages.
