Comments on: Using a How-To Directory http://www.keenerliving.com/using-a-how-to-directory A retired professional talks about life, technology, learning Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:32:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bruce Keener http://www.keenerliving.com/using-a-how-to-directory#comment-1399 Bruce Keener Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:25:51 +0000 http://www.keenerliving.com/2007/08/14/using-a-how-to-directory/#comment-1399 I think I'll just go with your initial suggestions ... the more simple I can keep it, the more likely I'll turn it into a habit. Great input, though. The latter tools you mentioned may be just exactly what someone else is looking for. I think I’ll just go with your initial suggestions … the more simple I can keep it, the more likely I’ll turn it into a habit.

Great input, though. The latter tools you mentioned may be just exactly what someone else is looking for.

]]> By: Thomas R. Hall http://www.keenerliving.com/using-a-how-to-directory#comment-1398 Thomas R. Hall Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:21:53 +0000 http://www.keenerliving.com/2007/08/14/using-a-how-to-directory/#comment-1398 Another good text-based markup language is Textile, but it is more for generating web pages and is more feature-rich (at the expense of plain-text readability). Another EXCELLENT wiki is Confluence (by Atlassian), but it requires Java and a database, but even supports things like WebDAV to edit your wiki as a mounted directory (via drag and drop). But, that is beyond the scope of what the Wiki/text markup would be useful for in this case... Another good text-based markup language is Textile, but it is more for generating web pages and is more feature-rich (at the expense of plain-text readability). Another EXCELLENT wiki is Confluence (by Atlassian), but it requires Java and a database, but even supports things like WebDAV to edit your wiki as a mounted directory (via drag and drop). But, that is beyond the scope of what the Wiki/text markup would be useful for in this case…

]]> By: Bruce Keener http://www.keenerliving.com/using-a-how-to-directory#comment-1397 Bruce Keener Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:21:41 +0000 http://www.keenerliving.com/2007/08/14/using-a-how-to-directory/#comment-1397 That's some fine information, Thomas. Thanks for the links on these. I have heard of Markdown, but had not done anything with it, yet. Had not heard of DokuWiki, and I will give it a try as well. Thanks for the great info! That’s some fine information, Thomas. Thanks for the links on these. I have heard of Markdown, but had not done anything with it, yet. Had not heard of DokuWiki, and I will give it a try as well.

Thanks for the great info!

]]> By: Thomas R. Hall http://www.keenerliving.com/using-a-how-to-directory#comment-1396 Thomas R. Hall Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:13:14 +0000 http://www.keenerliving.com/2007/08/14/using-a-how-to-directory/#comment-1396 This sounds like the perfect use for a wiki. I also like having plain text files in order to be portable and searchable. A wiki also allows a more seamless linking and displaying images, etc. A good way to have your cake and eat it too is to use a wiki that stores files as plain text and then use a text-based markup language to write the content. My favorites for this are DokuWiki [1] as the wiki and Markdown [2] as the markup language. This allows you to keep the How-to docs in plain text and in any directory structure you desire and also makes viewing pages with screenshots and linking easy. DokuWiki also has built-in search, so you get web-based search for as well. Markdown is great to read as text (even in email) and the plug-in for DokuWiki generates the web-based view for you. [1]: DokuWiki - http://wiki.splitbrain.org/wiki:dokuwiki [2]: Markdown - http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/ This sounds like the perfect use for a wiki. I also like having plain text files in order to be portable and searchable. A wiki also allows a more seamless linking and displaying images, etc.

A good way to have your cake and eat it too is to use a wiki that stores files as plain text and then use a text-based markup language to write the content. My favorites for this are DokuWiki [1] as the wiki and Markdown [2] as the markup language. This allows you to keep the How-to docs in plain text and in any directory structure you desire and also makes viewing pages with screenshots and linking easy. DokuWiki also has built-in search, so you get web-based search for as well. Markdown is great to read as text (even in email) and the plug-in for DokuWiki generates the web-based view for you.

[1]: DokuWiki – http://wiki.splitbrain.org/wiki:dokuwiki
[2]: Markdown – http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/

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