Process "Hints"

[Cheyenne]

A low priority, and targeted to us newbies...

If would be helpful to have a little "hint" for some of the processes to describe their function and the expected environment.  For example the HDRWavelet process.  Should it run against a linear image, or one that has been stretched.  Does the process maintain the linearity of the image, etc.

Some of the confusion is the speed that new functions are being added to PI that outdates, replaces or changes some of the processes described in the tutorials.

Maybe another/different suggestion would to be have a PixInsight wiki for registered users that way some of the doc can be updated and tweaked by the community.

Anyway... just some suggestions..

[Nocturnal]

Hi Cheyenne,

I suggested to Juan that each process gets an external HTML file for this sort of documentation. Turns out the PI GUI already has a provision for this (a button in the process explorer) but unfortunately none have any content yet.

I agree this is sorely needed. Lack of documentation scares away new users and keeps old salts stuck with the tools they know rather than exploring the new ones. Documentation is currently scattered over this forum which is a very poor place for it.

[Cheyenne]

Understand...

Which was why I suggested a wiki as a possible solution.  The old hands can "fine tune" the stuff.  The newbies can identify the areas that need the explaining.

[Simon Hicks]

I agree big time with this. Juan is up to his eyeballs creating wonderful features and never has (and probably never will) have the time to create the detailed help that people (especially newbies) need. And I would (selfishly) prefer he continues creating more powerful features.

And the thing to remember here is that this community (astrophotographers and PI users) is a very collaborative one. We all share ideas and are happy to contribute to this forum because of the joy we get from the hobby. So I have no doubt that a well set up WIKI would have lots of people happily contributing to it. Worth a shot.

[Harry page]

Hi

Is some one going to grasp the nettle

Harry

[Cheyenne]

Well...

I don't have a server that could handle the network traffic...

however.. I did notice that google (are they good or bad this week?) has a wiki "set up" for creating groups.  ( http://www.google.com/sites/help/intl/en/overview.html )

[Niall Saunders]

Hi Harry,

Well, I did 'try' - but I was getting 'stung' pretty badly 

At first glance, getting a Wiki up and running is just about as bewildering as getting PixelInsight LE up and running was all those years ago 

I am also still not entirely sure about Wiki - unless Juan can link to Wiki pages from within PI, for example by including something like the 'F1' key 'Help' button link that is the norm in MS Windows

Maybe what we need is extra sections here on the Forum, and PI gets linked to those entries instead. After all, we can all get access to the Forum, we can all upload images, the data is under 'our' control, and Juan could even appoint 'moderators' to look after sections on his behalf.

Don't get me wrong, I think Wiki is excellent - I use it all the time. But, are we (all) ready to learn something new - at the same time as we are all trying to 'learn' PI 

I'm still 'on the fence' on this one.

Cheers,

[Cheyenne]

I wouldn't try to deep link into the wiki from anywhere.  Think the wiki idea as an extension to the forums.

Anyway .. just an idea