As a non-coder, I sat down this morning to learn more about Markdown. I can read html and css, though would be hard-pressed to create a valid document if given a blank page in a text editor. I use Wordpress and Joomla and can edit those template files on my Mac in Coda and BBEdit. (I mention this just to let you know where I'm coming from.) I have little interest in what is happening behind the front end. It's just a tool for me to share information with my family, friends, company, and world. I like what I write to look nice--like what I see on professional web sites. When I edit files I am constantly flipping back and forth between html and WYSIWYG view to make sure things look as they exists in my minds' eye. My first thought is that, were someone not currently familiar with Markdown to come to the Tor site with an idea for an addition, the need to spend time (even though it's only a little time) to learn how to write Markdown does raise the *activation energy*, so to speak. Just a little bit of time on Google and I found an article titled [78 Tools for Writing and Previewing Markdown]( http://mashable.com/2013/06/24/markdown-tools/). I like the fact that there are tools that allow me to view the markdown and html result side by side. Providing this 'split view' type of editor to potential contributors would lower the activation energy for someone new to markdown. And this is where I really see the value of using a tool like Drupal on the front end if we simply think of it as a way for getting things into a database with a user-friendly front-end. Once in the database, we can use all sorts of plugins and tools to convert that content to static html files directly or to some intermediate format like Markdown and feed it to a static site generator like Jekyll. Respectfully, -- Clark Venable
Even if we decide that Markdown is tough and has a learning curve etc, using Drupal is not a solution at all. We could instead have something like a 'submit' page, where the user is presented with a WYSIWYG/Markdown editor (Which outputs Markdown in the end), and submitting said form could email relevant parties. Once submissions are vetted, these are passed to the person with rights to the repo and it is added to the site. Drupal is overkill here. On Sat, Jan 11, 2014 at 5:29 PM, Clark Venable <jclarkv@gmail.com> wrote:
As a non-coder, I sat down this morning to learn more about Markdown. I can read html and css, though would be hard-pressed to create a valid document if given a blank page in a text editor. I use Wordpress and Joomla and can edit those template files on my Mac in Coda and BBEdit. (I mention this just to let you know where I'm coming from.) I have little interest in what is happening behind the front end. It's just a tool for me to share information with my family, friends, company, and world. I like what I write to look nice--like what I see on professional web sites. When I edit files I am constantly flipping back and forth between html and WYSIWYG view to make sure things look as they exists in my minds' eye.
My first thought is that, were someone not currently familiar with Markdown to come to the Tor site with an idea for an addition, the need to spend time (even though it's only a little time) to learn how to write Markdown does raise the *activation energy*, so to speak.
Just a little bit of time on Google and I found an article titled [78 Tools for Writing and Previewing Markdown]( http://mashable.com/2013/06/24/markdown-tools/). I like the fact that there are tools that allow me to view the markdown and html result side by side. Providing this 'split view' type of editor to potential contributors would lower the activation energy for someone new to markdown.
And this is where I really see the value of using a tool like Drupal on the front end if we simply think of it as a way for getting things into a database with a user-friendly front-end. Once in the database, we can use all sorts of plugins and tools to convert that content to static html files directly or to some intermediate format like Markdown and feed it to a static site generator like Jekyll.
Respectfully,
-- Clark Venable
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-- Namanyay Goel <http://namanyayg.com/> :: Freelance Web Designer and Developer. :: UI Designer at MakeUseOf <http://makeuseof.com/>. :: Author at Symmetrycode <http://symmetrycode.com/>. :: @namanyayg <http://twitter.com/namanyayg>
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Hi, Clark, I'll bet that if you're good with BBEdit, you'll be a Markdown pro in no time. Also, as far as I can tell, if you are only writing content and we wind up with Jekyll or somesuch, you probably won't even need HTML for anything at all. If it helps, here are a handfull of markdown editors that might make the whole thing even easier for you. - -- CLOUD http://dillinger.io/ https://stackedit.io/ - -- FOR MAC http://mouapp.com/ - -- FOR WINDOWS http://markdownpad.com/ Do I remember correctly that you, like Sam and I, want to write for the newbies? Looking forward to working with you. with kind regards, N. On 01/11/2014 12:59 PM, Clark Venable wrote:
As a non-coder, I sat down this morning to learn more about Markdown. I can read html and css, though would be hard-pressed to create a valid document if given a blank page in a text editor. I use Wordpress and Joomla and can edit those template files on my Mac in Coda and BBEdit. (I mention this just to let you know where I'm coming from.) I have little interest in what is happening behind the front end. It's just a tool for me to share information with my family, friends, company, and world. I like what I write to look nice--like what I see on professional web sites. When I edit files I am constantly flipping back and forth between html and WYSIWYG view to make sure things look as they exists in my minds' eye.
My first thought is that, were someone not currently familiar with Markdown to come to the Tor site with an idea for an addition, the need to spend time (even though it's only a little time) to learn how to write Markdown does raise the *activation energy*, so to speak.
Just a little bit of time on Google and I found an article titled [78 Tools for Writing and Previewing Markdown](http://mashable.com/2013/06/24/markdown-tools/). I like the fact that there are tools that allow me to view the markdown and html result side by side. Providing this 'split view' type of editor to potential contributors would lower the activation energy for someone new to markdown.
And this is where I really see the value of using a tool like Drupal on the front end if we simply think of it as a way for getting things into a database with a user-friendly front-end. Once in the database, we can use all sorts of plugins and tools to convert that content to static html files directly or to some intermediate format like Markdown and feed it to a static site generator like Jekyll.
Respectfully,
-- Clark Venable
________________________________________________________________________
Tor Website Team coordination mailing-list
To unsubscribe or change other options, please visit: https://lists.torproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/www-team
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participants (3)
-
Clark Venable -
Namanyay Goel -
Nancy Carroll