GNU MediaGoblin Wiki - User contributions [en]

User Experience

2011-09-08T16:46:04Z

Eximious: /* User notes go in this section */

User Experience

2011-09-08T15:18:45Z

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User Experience

2011-09-08T15:09:26Z

Eximious: /* User notes go in this section */

Main Page

2011-09-06T00:25:25Z

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= Want to Join the MediaGoblin Community? =

We’re really glad that you want to join the MediaGoblin community!

There are a variety of ways to help and support MediaGoblin and to join the team. If you want to code, great, if not, even better! MediaGoblin interested contributors in many different roles: users, system administrators, technical writers, testers, evangelists, UI/UX and graphics designers, cheerleaders, and dreamers.

This wiki covers a variety of ways that you can get involved with MediaGoblin as well as instructions on how to get started.

== Hang out with the MediaGoblin folk ==

MediaGoblin has a mailing list and an IRC channel where we hang out. See [http://mediagoblin.org/join/ our join page] for links.

Please drop by and say “Hi!” And, if you’re looking for something to do, just ask---there’s always work to be done.

== File Bugs / Triage Bugs ==

Issue reports are critical for all projects. Identified bugs give developers a basis for beginning work, and providing an idea of what features and issues are most important to users and the overall usability of the software. If you identify errors, flaws, unexpected behaviors, or deficits that impede use, file a bug.

* [[File Bugs]] -- notes on filing new bugs/issues/feature requests
* [[Triage Bugs]] -- notes on triaging

== Write Code / Fix Code ==

If you are a coder and you would like to write code, the repository is hosted on gitorious. Clone or fork the repository and start poking around. Become familiar with this manual for an overview of how the software works and is used. Consider the contributor wiki for more information about the project, our preferred methods, and guides for developing MediaGoblin. We even have tips on becoming a coder and we’re willing to help!

* [[Development quick start]] - get MediaGoblin running on your own machine so you can hack on it
* [[HackingHowto|Hacking]] - notes on making and sending in code contributions
** [[BeginnersCorner|Beginner's Corner]] - resources for those who are new to Python, MongoDB, or Git.
** We'll be adding some distribution/OS specific hacking guides as separate pages soon.
* [[Git workflow]] - How to go about submitting patches via git.
* [[Templating]] - How our templating structure is set up

== Send Encouragement / Spread the Word ==

Sometimes, a nice word, simple encouragement, and interest in the work we’re doing is enough to inspire a tizzy of productive work. Just a bit more interest and encouragement can even make the difference between a complete feature and limited functionality; between a completed milestone and lost momentum.

Similarly, MediaGoblin, and the movement for free network services, is always in need of encouragement. Use free network services, understand the principals behind the movement, be able to articulate the benefits of free network services and the problems with psudo-free applications that don’t respect the users’ freedom.

Write a blog post, post a status update, drop by the listserv or join #mediagoblin on freenode.net and let us know. See [http://mediagoblin.org/join/ our join page] for links.

== Write Documentation / Edit Documentation ==

* [[Documentation quick start]] - How to contribute to the documentation effort.
* [[ManualStandards]] - covers the standards for writing the user manual (forthcoming.)

== Test MediaGoblin ==

Do you have access to the web? Do you like sharing your opinions? If so, we need your help to test MediaGoblin! Testers play around with the current test instance, note what operating system and browser they use (notes on multiple set-ups are also helpful) and take some notes. That's it! It's a very important task that doesn't require any special knowledge and you're done in under an hour. Ready to help?

* [[User Experience]] - user experience testing. Includes link to an instance you can try!
* [[UnitTests|Unit Tests]] - all about the unit tests

== Translate MediaGoblin ==

If you know English and another language and feel comfortable translating elements of the interface or even the documentation, we’d love to have help translating the software and resources.

* [[Translations]] - How to translate stuff or update the translations

== Become a User ==

Coming soon!

We’re building MediaGoblin for us and for you but really you’re one of us and I am you and we are we and MediaGoblin is the walrus.

We're planning to launch our own public instance of MediaGoblin in the near future--probably in the September/October 2011 time frame. When we do, sign up for an account, use the service and relish in the thought that this service comes with a heaping side of Freedom and you can salt and pepper it to your liking.

== Help Others ==

Have you spent time with MediaGoblin? If so, your experience and wisdom are invaluable and you’re the best person we can think of to help other users with their questions.

Hang out on the IRC channel and help answer new peoples' questions. See [http://mediagoblin.org/join/ our join page] for links.

== Run your own MediaGoblin Instance ==

Are there things about our instance you want to change? Are there things about other instances you wish were different? Want to test upcoming changes? Want to create patches to implement things you need? That’s great—you can run your own instance!

* [[Configure_MediaGoblin|Configuration]] - Learn about MediaGoblin configuration files and file options.
* [[Deployment]] - General deployment advice
* [[Scaling Down]] - Minimizing MediaGoblin's resource requirements
* [[Virtual Machine Hosting]] - Deploy your own publicly available MediaGoblin server using [http://aws.amazon.com/free/?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=CPC_Google_AWS_ec2&utm_content=TextV01_PP_V01_EC2&trk=CPC_Google_AWS_ec2 Amazon's free EC2 tier].

== Create a Theme ==

Coming soon!

MedaGoblin development is premised on the idea that the entire interface for the platform be completely theme-able. If you have a design or theming background, consider developing themes for MediaGoblin. New themes help test the theming system, provide attractive and appealing interfaces for prospective users. If you want to start a new theme but don’t know where to start, touch base with the development community on the list or in the IRC channel for more information.

= Technical project documentation =

* [[DesignDecisions]] - covers design decisions (FIXME - this needs to be split up)
* [[Storage]] - How MediaGoblin's internal storage system works.
* [[Processing]] - What happens after you submit your image/video/etc? Processing! More about that.
* [https://gitorious.org/mediagoblin/mediagoblin/blobs/master/extlib/README External Library Policy] - covers use of external libraries
* [[User:Cwebber/braindumps]] - Chris Webber's braindumps (you can help refactoring these into real sections of the site!)

= Inner workings of the secret sanctum =

* [http://mediagoblin.org/irclogs/ IRC meeting logs]
* [[IRCBot]] - covers our irc bot
* [[ReleaseProcess|Release Process]] - covers the release process
* [[Update the website]] - Learn how to update mediagoblin.org!

UnitTests

2011-09-06T00:22:17Z

Eximious: /* Unit tests */

= Unit tests =

FIXME - i think there's some information in chris' brain dumps page that should get ported here.

In the meantime, if you're interested in helping with unit tests, come see us in #mediagoblin on freenode.net or email press@gnu.org

== Running the unit tests ==

To run the unit tests, do:

./runtests.sh

To run a specific test, do:

./runtests.sh <TEST>

For example:

./runtests.sh mediagoblin.tests.test_auth:test_authentication_views

<tt>runtests.sh</tt> does some minor setup and calls nosetests. If you pass in <tt>-h</tt>, you'll get the
nosetests help which shows you options for other things you can do with the unit test system.

Main Page

2011-09-06T00:19:13Z

Eximious: /* Test MediaGoblin */

User Experience

2011-09-06T00:12:51Z

Eximious: /* User notes go in this section */

User Experience Past Notes

2011-09-06T00:11:55Z

Eximious: Created page with "= Notes for 0.0.4 = === From Justin, on Mac OS X 10.6.8 with Google Chrome on 8.16.2011 === * username incorporated hyper-link "sk00's media" looks cheesy if username is underl..."

= Notes for 0.0.4 =

=== From Justin, on Mac OS X 10.6.8 with Google Chrome on 8.16.2011 ===

* username incorporated hyper-link "sk00's media" looks cheesy if username is underlined/a different color in order to signify a link: i have a hunch hundreds of users will click their own user name/other user's user names expecting to be returned to the respective profile. this is strictly personal preference and entirely aesthetic.

* is it possible to allow a user's profile website link to display tag other than "www.example.com/92921398/#/"? like using ahref code, but automatic? i know i'm reluctant to click on and/or care about a link which appears like the example i've provided.

* CAPCHA! without this it is much more likely to become an image dumping plant like imageshack and the like.

* UPDATE: my delete button is not linked/clickable/functioning.

=== From Justin on XP with IE and Chrome on 8.17.2011 ===

* OBSERVATION:My first account "sk00" was registered with a gmail address and your notification email went to the inbox, whereas my second account "sk00z" was registered with an old aol address and your notification email went into spam. I'm almost certain it had to do with aol sorting for emails from senders named “notice" and gmail not caring so much.

<blockquote>

This is probably caused by a difference in AOL and Gmail's spam detection systems. My best guess is that the MediaGoblin sender address does not pass in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sender_Policy_Framework SPF] tests. Gmail's seems to care less about that than AOL.


I know from personal experience that Gmail does not always kick non-SPF-valid emails to the spambox.


--[[User:Joar|Joar]] 14:35, 2 September 2011 (EDT)

</blockquote>

* SUGGESTION:Are you thinking of including any sort of friend system? Not nearly as intrusive as facebook or myspace, but some way to follow another user as you would on tumblr and the like? If you were posting all sorts of bitchin' images from the time your family went toad licking in Arkansas, then I know I'd want to subscribe to your media channel for unrestrained access to future antics.

=== From Deb, UX notes on 8.16.2011 ===
I'm running Ubuntu 10.04, Lucid Lynx. It's the Netbook remix version on an Aspire One, with Firefox version 3.6.18 for Ubuntu

* Login page did not prompt for the possibility of forgotten password

* login is really big on netbook, so that not all felds are visible on the screen at once, not ideal for just four fields

* Not clear how you get to a page for adding media from the email verification page.

* The submit box is really large on a netbook, the whole box should be visible on one screen

* The tagging field should have small text underneath it about what format tags should use

* Thumbnails on the little nav buttons from one pic to the other would be nice

* The media submission page could also be scaled for the netbook screen

* people will want to submit multiple images which it seems you can't yet do

* Animated gifs work! Awesome.

<blockquote>

Only if the uploaded gif fits in a 640x640px square -- That is because we only produce medium.jpg files when it's necessary (if the original file is more than 640px in height/width) and if we don't create a medium.jpg we'll show the original file on the media page. 
--[[User:Joar|Joar]] 06:33, 3 September 2011 (EDT)

</blockquote>

* Tags seem to be not case sensitive and strip punctuation. Also awesome.

=== Nelson's notes on 8.13.2011 (paraphrased) ===

* hey, where's my notification?
* everything is working alright
* successfully uploaded stuff ...
* commenting works
* profile works ...
* is that all I can do?
'''I'd like to be able to'''
* find other users
* friend them ... or something
* go somewhere else besides my profile page
* download original image
* see full-size image
* use a public server

'''Other Comments'''
* go to a real domain and make it public

===I played around on 2011-09-02 (Iceweasel on Debian)===

* A user icon/avatar on the profile and for use when commenting would be cool.

* On the first page after email verification there is both a "submit media" and an "add media" option/button which might be confusing as it's likely to be the first time someone is visiting and they can't know that the "submit media" button is always there.

* Maybe have an instruction on the profile page under the images (or on hover) to click on the image to enlarge and/or edit it as it's not obvious.

* Noted that the profile page would not display added images unless they were tagged

* Noted the profile information (even though the "profile edited!" message was received) would not display unless a website was entered as well. Also noted that the website field required properly formatted urls, most people are probably just going to plug in "www...", if they have a web page at all.

* The "X" for the navigation between pictures is confusing (I think most people associate it with "delete"). Maybe have it say something like "Nothing more here" or have a picture of a sad goblin, etc. instead.

* Get a "the file doesn't seem to be an image!" message when I try to upload an .xcf file. Maybe consider allowing .xcf as it may be useful for people working on collaborations, etc.

* Images tagged "NSFW" show up on the "Explore" page, maybe an image holder (for those who will voluntarily tag their images) could be useful.

* Animated .gif s aren't animated on the "Explore" page, maybe allow that or display the file name of .gif files as "whatever.gif" to indicate they may be animated.

* I really like the use of coloured bars/text boxes as a recurrent design element :)

User Experience

2011-08-17T19:49:28Z

Eximious: /* User notes go in this section */

We need help doing user experience testing! This means users testing our software, observing what does and doesn't work for them, and recording that.

If you're here to help (HOORAY!) go to the testing instance set up by Caleb Davis: http://omgmg.dyndns.org:6543/

Sign up for an account'''*''', add some pictures'''**''' and play around. Take some notes and then either set up an account on this wiki and add your thoughts to this page or email them to press@mediagoblin.org. Please include your operating system and what browser you're using.

'''*''' Your email validation link may be in your spam folder! 
'''**''' NOTHING ON THIS INSTANCE IS PERMANENT. This is for user experience testing only... your pics will be wiped!

You'll be able to give us the best feedback if you don't look at anyone else's notes before you start. Thanks for helping us with usability!! We really appreciate it!

= User notes go in this section =

=== From Justin, on Mac OS X 10.6.8 with Google Chrome on 8.16.2011 ===

* username incorporated hyper-link "sk00's media" looks cheesy if username is underlined/a different color in order to signify a link: i have a hunch hundreds of users will click their own user name/other user's user names expecting to be returned to the respective profile. this is strictly personal preference and entirely aesthetic.

* is it possible to allow a user's profile website link to display tag other than "www.example.com/92921398/#/"? like using ahref code, but automatic? i know i'm reluctant to click on and/or care about a link which appears like the example i've provided.

* CAPCHA! without this it is much more likely to become an image dumping plant like imageshack and the like.

* UPDATE: my delete button is not linked/clickable/functioning.

=== From Justin on XP with IE and Chrome on 8.17.2011 ===

* OBSERVATION:My first account "sk00" was registered with a gmail address and your notification email went to the inbox, whereas my second account "sk00z" was registered with an old aol address and your notification email went into spam. I'm almost certain it had to do with aol sorting for emails from senders named “notice" and gmail not caring so much.

* SUGGESTION:Are you thinking of including any sort of friend system? Not nearly as intrusive as facebook or myspace, but some way to follow another user as you would on tumblr and the like? If you were posting all sorts of bitchin' images from the time your family went toad licking in Arkansas, then I know I'd want to subscribe to your media channel for unrestrained access to future antics.

=== From Deb, UX notes on 8.16.2011 ===
I'm running Ubuntu 10.04, Lucid Lynx. It's the Netbook remix version on an Aspire One, with Firefox version 3.6.18 for Ubuntu

* Login page did not prompt for the possibility of forgotten password

* login is really big on netbook, so that not all felds are visible on the screen at once, not ideal for just four fields

* Not clear how you get to a page for adding media from the email verification page.

* The submit box is really large on a netbook, the whole box should be visible on one screen

* The tagging field should have small text underneath it about what format tags should use

* Thumbnails on the little nav buttons from one pic to the other would be nice

* The media submission page could also be scaled for the netbook screen

* people will want to submit multiple images which it seems you can't yet do

* Animated gifs work! Awesome.

* Tags seem to be not case sensitive and strip punctuation. Also awesome.

=== Nelson's notes on 8.13.2011 (paraphrased) ===

* hey, where's my notification?
* everything is working alright
* successfully uploaded stuff ...
* commenting works
* profile works ...
* is that all I can do?
'''I'd like to be able to'''
* find other users
* friend them ... or something
* go somewhere else besides my profile page
* download original image
* see full-size image
* use a public server
'''Other Comments'''
* go to a real domain and make it public

= General thoughts on running a user experience test =

Could someone with experience with this fill in info here? ;)

I (Jan-Christoph Borchardt) write a thesis at the moment on [http://owncloud.iuk.hdm-stuttgart.de/apps/files_publiclink/get.php?token=6c766212ba094bea08bf1bb800b3e1e7c785388e Coordinating low-cost usability testing in independent free & open source software projects] 
There are many small tips and recipes on how to do your own testing. Especially look into the ''Methods'' part. 
Please let me know if you have any other experiences with testing, I intend on regularly updating that document and release the full version freely licensed once it’s done as well as some kind of a ''quick start guide''.

User Experience

2011-08-16T22:26:36Z

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User Experience

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User Experience

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User Experience

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User Experience

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User Experience

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User Experience

2011-08-16T22:06:07Z

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