Notice: The WebPlatform project, supported by various stewards between 2012 and 2015, has been discontinued. This site is now available on github.

Summary

Go to WPD/Editors Guide for the Editor’s Guide, the result of this project.

This is a proposed outline for consolidating dozens of pages under a guide to editing WPD. This will be a procedural guide, beginning with getting up and running on the site and communications channels, to reviewing content, to creating new content. All content currently available for assisting editors will be pulled into this guide, either by merging that content into this guide, or by reference. Comments welcome on this page or on the public-webplatform@w3.org email list.

SEE FINAL

WPD/Editors_Guide

Step 1: Register for a WebPlatform.org wiki account

Create an account with your email address, user name, and password.

Make sure to verify your account.

  • The verification link is sent via email. If you don’t see the message, check your spam folder.

Log into the WebPlatform.org site.

Step 2. Get ready to communicate with the online community

Join IRC channel.

Join the public-webplatform@w3.org.

Ask questions or help others in the forum.

  • http://talk.webplatform.org/forums/
          • [COMMENT:] REALLY wish this was called “Forums” not Q&A - which sounds like an FAQ list to me. Is it possible to set up a forum channel for contributors to ask questions about editing or authoring content to the wiki? (Rather than just general web questions).

Access the bug-tracking system.

Step 3: Become familiar with the wiki

If you can’t wait, start contributing.

  • /docs/WPD/Getting_Started
  • Make sure to use the reference resources in Step 5, below, to ensure you’re using the correct markup and styles.
          • [COMMENT:] The Getting Started page is the primary resource that contributors can use to edit the site. Make sure the Getting Started page links to the wiki syntax page. Make sure contributors understand Step 4, how to add comments and flag pages.

Be sure to read the wiki philosophy to understand the mission.

  • Watch the project video to learn about the site’s mission and goals.
  • Read the FAQ and site policies and look at the direction we’re going in.

    • /docs/WPD/FAQ

    • /docs/WPD/Policy

          • [COMMENT:] All three of these pages should be edited. The Task Roadmap page will soon be replaced by a project management system, like Bug Genie.

    • /docs/WPD/Task_Roadmap

          • [COMMENT:] Recommend updating the Policy page to begin with content in Pillars page, above the links.

Explore the web development docs.

Step 4. Review existing content

Add comments to sections.

  • Add a comment by hovering your mouse over the relevant section heading and click Add Comment. Leaving comments on articles helps others see exactly what needs to be fixed.
          • [COMMENT:] Provide a screenshot?

Flag issues: broken links, spelling, product bias, and more.

  • Click the Edit button in the top right corner of the article and choose Edit.

Mark articles that need revisions by checking the corresponding checkboxes.

Notify other editors about pages that require revisions.

  • Communicate with the WebPlatform.org online community to ask for clarification and help resolving issues. You can raise issues on IRC, send messages to the public-webplatform@w3.org mail list, or post to forums.
          • [COMMENT:] This is a duplicate of Step 3, but I think it is OK to reiterate this.

Step 5. Update existing content

Become familiar with MediaWiki syntax conventions.

          • [COMMENT:] NEW Page/Section NEEDED that explains how we use the MediaWiki syntax, and lists all valide tags and macros for WPD pages.
          • [COMMENT:] [PULL OR POINT TO CONTENT FROM: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Cheatsheet]
          • [COMMENT:] Remove syntax and conventions from the Style Guide page.
          • [COMMENT:] [PULL OR POINT TO CONTENT FROM: http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Formatting]
          • [COMMENT:] Create a new page using above content: Getting started with MediaWiki syntax conventions.
          • [COMMENT:] [PULL CONTENT FROM: /docs/WPD/Style_Guide Use accepted wikitext syntax conventions]

Read the guidelines and best practices for editing the text.

Read gotchas.

Conform content to one style when editing.

Find content that needs your review.

  • Review recently edited articles.
    • /docs/Special:RecentChanges
          • [COMMENT:] Need to clean up older content on this page. Delete Things already done, Pages being worked on, and Completed pages, unless someone plans to keep updating these sections.
  • Visit the Most Wanted Tasks page to find articles to fix.
    • /docs/WPD/Most_Wanted_Tasks
          • [COMMENT:] Used for DocSprints, and to point contributors to a specific task, if they don’t have one in mind.

Step 6. Author or upload new content

Refer to the Style_Guide to determine if your content is appropriate for the wiki.

Let the team know that you are adding new content.

  • See Step 2 above.

Before creating or moving pages, identify pages linked to existing docs.

Select where to create the new page.

Check features for cross browser compatibility.

Visit the New Page center, choose a type (Tutorial) and click Create.

Step 7. Prepare and upload assets for articles

[COMMENT:] section needs more work…

Optimize files.

Name image file names descriptively.

  • Right: chrome_prefs.png, drop_shadow.png, box_model_diagram.png
  • Wrong: image 04.png, screenshot.png, figure10.png, code.png

Use the Upload File page to upload the images.

Add the link to an uploaded image in the article draft.

  • Enter the syntax to link the uploaded image file in the article: [[File:File.jpg]]