[darcs-users] Gitit on test.darcs.net: document which markup syntax on the "edit" page

[Mark Stosberg]

On Tue, 12 May 2009 22:15:32 -0400
Gwern Branwen <gwern0 at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 9:45 PM, Mark Stosberg <mark at summersault.com> wrote:
> >> > http://test.darcs.net/_login
> >> >
> >> John says he's done something in HEAD for this:
> >
> > Great! Thanks. Here's another specific feedback point.
> >
> > On the edit screen, it should explain *which* wiki syntax is in use, and
> > provide some immediate examples and a link to further documentation
> > about the formatting.
> >
> > Here's an example wiki page that does this decently well. (It will ask
> > you sign in first, which merely involves typing in any username that you
> > make up).
> >
> > http://www.cgi-app.org/index.cgi?action=edit&page_name=Plugins
> ...
> >    Mark
> 
> I dunno, that's some pretty darn intrusive informing it does there.
> Seems like way overkill. I'm for user-friendliness, but that seems to
> go past the line of helping to getting in one's way.

I agree, it's not the best example of what I had in mind. Flickr does a much
better job. Just below each comment box there's a small link with an expansion
triangle next to it: "|> How do I format my comment?" If you click it, expands
to show the most common formatting commands in a helpful table.

In Flickr's design, the reference is easy to find and use, but stays out the
way when you don't need it.

    Mark

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