BOINC Wiki Link

Stick
Stick
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Topic 190164

Please consider adding a direct link to the BOINC Wiki for future versions of BOINC Manager (perhaps under the "Help" menu).

Gary Roberts
Gary Roberts
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BOINC Wiki Link

Stick,

As your request is for a change in the BOINC Manager, you would probably be better off posting it here.

EAH has done its bit by putting a prominent link under "Community" on the front page. That's a pretty good start.

Cheers,
Gary.

Stick
Stick
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RE: Stick, As your request

Message 19362 in response to message 19361

Quote:

Stick,

As your request is for a change in the BOINC Manager, you would probably be better off posting it here.

EAH has done its bit by putting a prominent link under "Community" on the front page. That's a pretty good start.

Gary,

The caption under the "Wish List" Board is: "Make suggestions on how E@H or BOINC can be improved" - so I thought I was posting in an appropriate venue. I would also note that, when I looked, I didn't see a "Wish List" category at the BOINC boards.

However, I was very happy to note that the suggestion to add a "Wiki" link on the Einstein site was acted on so quickly.

Stick

Gary Roberts
Gary Roberts
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RE: ... so I thought I was

Message 19363 in response to message 19362

Quote:
... so I thought I was posting in an appropriate venue. I would also note that, when I looked, I didn't see a "Wish List" category at the BOINC boards.

Yes, an absolutely appropriate venue, so no complaint from me. However, changes to BOINC come about by actions taken by the BOINC developers and I was just indicating that good suggestions might be seen sooner/happen quicker if posted on a forum more likely to be visited by BOINC devs, that's all. In fact, it would have greater impact by being in both places.

I just wasn't sure if you (or any others who make suggestions related to BOINC) actually were aware of the BOINC boards, as they are relatively new. I was just taking the opportunity to do a bit of free advertising about those boards as the membership over there is still quite low - only 300 registered users when there are over 300,000 combined BOINC participants. It seems to me that the individual projects are probably too concerned about their own particular science issues to really spend much time feeding back to BOINC.

Cheers,
Gary.

Jord
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RE: Please consider adding

Quote:
Please consider adding a direct link to the BOINC Wiki for future versions of BOINC Manager (perhaps under the "Help" menu).


It's been considered, but the thing is: it's unofficial. Both Paul Buck and the developers of BOINC are making their own help sites. If you press F1 in the BOINC Manager, you go to the "help site" of BOINC.

It can only point to the BOINC Wiki when UCB takes over the Wiki and puts it on their site. At this moment, with it being linked to a site outside the realms of BOINC/the developers/UCB, the link can change, Paul can stop providing the Wiki and someone else can take it over etc. That would mean that for a lot of people the link in their BM is dead, overnight. This cannot happen when the link is always coming from Berkeley's sites.

So it's still in Limbo if Dr. Anderson continues to provide his own help pages, or that he will eventually take over the Wiki as a whole. The other problem with that is the editors: They should then either be UCB people, or we the editors should be allowed access on the UCB servers. To be honest, I don't see that happen so quickly.

Stick
Stick
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RE: RE: Please consider

Message 19365 in response to message 19364

Quote:
Quote:
Please consider adding a direct link to the BOINC Wiki for future versions of BOINC Manager (perhaps under the "Help" menu).

It's been considered, but the thing is: it's unofficial. Both Paul Buck and the developers of BOINC are making their own help sites. If you press F1 in the BOINC Manager, you go to the "help site" of BOINC.

It can only point to the BOINC Wiki when UCB takes over the Wiki and puts it on their site. At this moment, with it being linked to a site outside the realms of BOINC/the developers/UCB, the link can change, Paul can stop providing the Wiki and someone else can take it over etc. That would mean that for a lot of people the link in their BM is dead, overnight. This cannot happen when the link is always coming from Berkeley's sites.

So it's still in Limbo if Dr. Anderson continues to provide his own help pages, or that he will eventually take over the Wiki as a whole. The other problem with that is the editors: They should then either be UCB people, or we the editors should be allowed access on the UCB servers. To be honest, I don't see that happen so quickly.

Ageless,

Thank you for the explanation. I was previously unaware of these issues. Once again, you have reminded me that I am happy that you are back!

Stick

Stick
Stick
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Gary, If I seemed a little

Message 19366 in response to message 19363

Gary,

If I seemed a little short in my first response, I didn't mean to be (I was just a little pressed for time). 'Til now, I really wasn't aware that I have a member of such an elite group (one of only 300). Ironically, I registered at BOINC, a month or so ago, so I could post a response to someone who was complaining that the BOINC Screensaver didn't work when EAH was running. (You probably have a pretty good idea of what I wrote back.) But, I haven't spent much time looking at the BOINC boards (and apparently not many other people do either). Given the limited audience and what Ageless just wrote here, I think I will "pass" on posting the Wiki suggestion on the BOINC board.

Stick

Quote:
Quote:
... so I thought I was posting in an appropriate venue. I would also note that, when I looked, I didn't see a "Wish List" category at the BOINC boards.

Yes, an absolutely appropriate venue, so no complaint from me. However, changes to BOINC come about by actions taken by the BOINC developers and I was just indicating that good suggestions might be seen sooner/happen quicker if posted on a forum more likely to be visited by BOINC devs, that's all. In fact, it would have greater impact by being in both places.

I just wasn't sure if you (or any others who make suggestions related to BOINC) actually were aware of the BOINC boards, as they are relatively new. I was just taking the opportunity to do a bit of free advertising about those boards as the membership over there is still quite low - only 300 registered users when there are over 300,000 combined BOINC participants. It seems to me that the individual projects are probably too concerned about their own particular science issues to really spend much time feeding back to BOINC.


Jord
Joined: 26 Jan 05
Posts: 2952
Credit: 5779100
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RE: Given the limited

Message 19367 in response to message 19366

Quote:
Given the limited audience and what Ageless just wrote here, I think I will "pass" on posting the Wiki suggestion on the BOINC board.


I disagree. Although Dr. Anderson knows about it, knows about Paul's offer about it and may still be in Limbo about a decision on what to do, he may also have forgotten about it.

It's good to bring it back up, either on the BOINC forums or (better yet) on the BOINC developers email listing (needs registering).

You can stop saying WB (Welcome Back :D), I got it after the first time, but couldn't answer you or Michael as it was an active thread. I wrote Gary an email about it, he'll be happy to send it on if (any of) you want him to. ;)

Gary Roberts
Gary Roberts
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@ Stick You're far too

@ Stick

You're far too valuable around here for me to ever take any offense at anything you say. You forced me to read up about the beta app so I could at least keep up with how many people you were helping :). I was quite happy to see you doing that as it was something I knew nothing about.

@ Jord,

I always appreciate the extra value you add to something like this discussion for example. There are many things that you say that cause me to stop and think and appreciate some of the finer and not well understood aspects of the whole BOINC world. When you think about the complexities and subtle interactions between the BOINC framework and the diverse science projects, it's pretty impressive that a coherent BOINC model has got as far as it has. It actually says a lot about people with diverse skills working selflessly towards a pretty ill defined and not well understood set of goals. That the whole thing hasn't come unstuck or descended into bitter infighting is quite encouraging and quite a testament to the vision, the staying power, and the goodwill of all those donating to the cause. The ongoing development of the Wiki is an important part of this as the "shoestring" staff of BOINC are never going to be able to properly document it all by themselves.

Cheers,
Gary.

Tern
Tern
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Any project could add this

Any project could add this very simply, to the links for their project, UCB approved or not... or you can add it yourself to your own copy, which obviously isn't going to accomplish what is desired. But; if you edit account_whateverproject.xml, you will see a section - add the following just before the line:

    
        BOINC Wiki
        Get information on any BOINC topic
        http://boinc-doc.net/boinc-wiki/index.php
    

That'll do it! (Also posted same on BOINC board, but I suspect it's more likely to happen project-by-project.)

Stick
Stick
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Posts: 790
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I had no idea my suggestion

I had no idea my suggestion was going to generate so much discussion. And I gather that I've stumbled into something that has a bit of "history" attached to it.

Believe me, it all started quite innocently. In all the months that I have been a BOINC participant, I had never bothered to "bookmark" the Wiki. Then, whenever I wanted to use it, I would inevitably have to grope around trying to find a link.

Sometimes, it takes me a little while to see the obvious, but, for some reason, it "hit me over the head" last weekend. I suggested that a Wiki link be added to the Einstein home page. To my great surprise (and deep appreciation), the link was added the very same day. I immediately concluded that my idea "must be brilliant" and, feeling drunk with power, I decided to "flex my muscles" and take my idea once step further. Hence my original post here. Then, after some gentle prodding, I also posted it on the BOINC Message Board.

Although I initially expected BOINC 5.2.8 to have been released by now [ ;-) ], I have since gained a little perspective (from reading everyone's responses) and I understand there may be some very valid reasons for not implementing my suggestion right away. (I also realize that it really wasn't "my idea".) I thank everyone for responding and I hope I may have performed some small service by bringing the subject up.

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