Re: Issue #2 - Allow contributions to website from browser

On 2016-08-14 21:27, Martin Michlmayr wrote:
> * Jonathan McDowell <noodles(at)earth(dot)li> [2016-08-14 21:25]:
>> Contributions to the SPI website went up significantly by moving from
>> Plone to ikiwiki, and the website became much more current. Empirical
>> evidence thus suggests we're much better off where we currently are.
>> Based on experience managing a number of wikis I think the workload
>> involved in helping people who want to contribute at present but can't
>> deal with ikiwiki is significantly lower than dealing with an open (or
>> even approval based) wiki or CMS.
> Agreed.
>
> We're definitely open to contributors but we don't use a CMS and
> despite using ikiwiki the web site is also not a wiki. SPI's web site
> is a static web site generated with ikiwiki from Markdown.

Thank you Martin.

> You also
> cannot edit debian.org directly, for example, but contributions are
> welcome. Same with SPI.

Debian's situation is far from perfect despite important advances, but it is better than SPI's in a number of important ways. Specifically about the possibility to edit directly, while you are right if focusing on www.debian.org, that is not the case with wiki.debian.org, which would be approximately as important as www.debian.org, despite being quite newer.

> The git repository is available (there's a
> link from the front page) and you're welcome to send patches or pull
> requests. The webmaster email is also displayed for those wanting to
> provide feedback.
>
> If someone makes sustained contributions, I'm sure we'd be happy to
> give direct access to the git repo.
>

While having to learn a new syntax is already quite a disadvantage, at least for me, having to send patches to an opaque system whose performance I cannot evaluate multiplies my hesitation. Knowing that a direct access would come would help, but only those who will make sustained contributions and who already know they will. If you meant to encourage contribution, I am not the person to address. Experience has taught me not to contribute in such conditions. Putting such a statement on the website *might* help.

--
Filipus Klutiero
http://www.philippecloutier.com