Most of the modules don’t come with any instructions so to use them is really a hard job. You need hours or sometimes days to actually know how to get what you want. So it should be made necessary for every module developer to write a proper “Read Me” from a Beginner's point of view. I think that it will solve most of the problems that I see in forum everyday.

carnuke wrote:
This is becoming an interesting thread that now broadens out to the concept of information retreival.

I have to agree that answereing the same questions over and over frustrating to the point of saying "dammit, if they cant use the search I wont bother"

However, I have to say that XOOPS is not particularly efficient at retrieveing search information (IMHO). Searches are slow and it is difficult to filter information. It is also difficult to see any meaning in the results as we only get a module and a title, without any contextual snippet. I often find it easier and quicker to use google. This has been raised before on several occasions, but for some reason, we have not had the resources to improve on this.

You can't require someone to create documentation, you can only encourage it. This was what was the driving force behind the QA team was...

we can not enforce devs to add due documentation within their module's packages.

So, yes, a readme which incorporates a quickstart guide should be a minimum requirement for a QA stamp before release.

A "./doc" directory that sets :
a) readme file with basic information, module support site / support email, and bugtrack tool
Description of the purpose of the modules and main functionalities
b) Install file which indicates how to install this module
background information (why, motivation, etc...)
c) help file, addressing common problems, and explained how to user module and its main functionalies
d) GNU License Text
e) Changelog, informing of applied changes /bugracker Nr links
f) credits file, listing those that have participated in the module development
process
g) upgrade file (if applicable)
h) lang diff file (if applicable)
The best is to put some of them in admin part of module (credits, help file)

I would find interesting to create a new User Level (group). This Group being a "Mentor" user. In essence recognise the users that usually help others without them being "moderators" with the usual moderator powers.

I would however put the Docs in a wiki format and allow these Mentors to also have editing access to the docs. That since they usually help, they could also update a piece of doc for new versions of question, without having to rely on Carnuke to update everything. A wiki would also allow the Mentors, which are usually also advanced users, to create/update the missing module Docs.