[Typo3] RealURL For Dummies?

[Floyd Arguello]

A-san wrote:
> Lars Houmark wrote:
> 
>> Hello multimegaposting stranger,
>>
>>
>>> I just read the configuration section there and I am absolutely
>>> baffled that anyone would expect a person new to Typo3 who wants to
>>> get a site up would understand any of it.
>>
>>
>>
>> Depends on your knowledge level before starting with TYPO3.
>>
>>
> 
> Is not everyone's knowledge minimum when starting Typo3?  Ofcourse, some 
> may know PHP, some may not... its more likely that the people who come 
> to Typo3 do not know PHP, because if they did know, they would consider 
> making their own CMS.  The fact is most people go to a CMS to get their 
> site started and manageable.  Ofcourse, you can't do it in an hour with 
> Typo3, but I believe that a more organized and more comprehensive 
> documentation and guides would make it much better.
> 
>>> Is there a more comprehensive guide on how to configure realURL to do
>>> what you want?  Or simply, to just make the url's normal.  What is
>>> normal?  Simple, normal is what normal sites are, the way sites would
>>> be if they are static.  It would be best if that can be the default
>>> configuration, and if someone needs drastic changes, they can learn it
>>> and do it.
>>
>>
>>
>> It's all very well documented, and there is several configuration 
>> guides with "standard" configuration.
>> Here's one [1]. Here's another [2].
>> But your right. RealURL can be difficult. It's a VERY nice extension, 
>> which has many features, and can be adjusted in many ways. That's why 
>> you should maybe shoot for something less, unless your ready to spend 
>> some hours reading.
>>
>>
> 
> First of all, much of the documentation is written by people with 
> English as their second language.  Ofcourse, there is nothing wrong with 
> that, however you must understand that reading it is quite difficult 
> especially when you are trying to learn something complicated as RealURL.
> 
> Shoot for something else?  Like...?  Why should for less, just explain 
> it better and it will be easier for me to use!
> 
> The best example I can show you is Marlies Creative Universe.  WHen I 
> have a problem, I pray that I can find a tutorial for it there, because 
> I will be more then likely to find a way to fix it through her 
> tutorials.  I am not sure what exactly makes them more comprehensive 
> then many of the Typo3 documentation, but it just is.  Maybe its again, 
> the language.
> 
> Also you note spending hours of reading... the Configuration section of 
> RealURL is short, and that may also be a problem.  Alot of terms and 
> words are used, without proper explanation that can get anyone lost.  I 
> think more explanation is needed.
> 
>>> On the other hand, for people like me who just want to display the
>>> page names right and readable, its not easy, and I need easier
>>> solutions.  I probably speak for many people when I say that typo3
>>> needs more comprehensive and noob-easy guides.
>>
>>
>>
>> TYPO3 is a comprehensive system. Pretty much everything is 
>> configurable. This means that learning everything of TYPO3 is not done 
>> in a week or two, which I after reading many of your posts tend to 
>> believe you think it should be. If you think that you'll be a TYPO3 
>> supahmaster within the next couple of months, then stop dreaming. It's 
>> not like that. But in one year or so (if your still around) your happy 
>> that you did stick in.
> 
> 
> Sure, but you speak for yourself.  Everything is configurable if you 
> have extensive knowledge of the language Typo3 uses, which I assume is 
> PHP.  If you read a bit closer, I have been posting here since May. That 
> is about 7 months, and yet I still run into problems.
> 
>>
>> I also tend to think that you don't read much, but type a lot - this 
>> in the amount of post in this group.
>> At least one friendly person has kindly asked you to READ the 
>> guidelines for using these newsgroups and made a pretty clear hint 
>> about you changing your sender name to your real name. Not doing that, 
>> makes me pretty sure that you won't be getting many replies to your 
>> posts.
> 
> 
> I had my sender name as a real name.  I tried using this new name to see 
> if people would actually post in the topics.  ;)  It has been working 
> temporarily.
> 
> Might I add, reading charts and tables of what each TS variable means is 
> USELESS.  Believe me.  You can read it for a full day, and yet I doubt 
> you will remember what it is.  The fact that there is not enough 
> documentation is not the problem, its the way its organized, and how it 
> is written that bothers me, and makes it hard for people like myself to 
> find information on a problem.
> 
> Typo3 is perfect as a CMS however I believe its support is lacking in 
> organization.  You can make a list of probably over 10 ways for me to 
> find information on a problem, spending probably 3 hours trying to find 
> a solution.  Googling the keywords (what keywords?  how will you know 
> what to type?) using typo3.org as the site domain.  Search the mailing 
> list archive.  Go to the wiki.  Check the documentation matrix, tsref, 
> typoscript by example, etc.. etc.. the list goes on.
> 
> Its just not efficient!  Many of us dont have hours apon hours to spend 
> just to find out why Typo3 is making your image a couple pixels wider 
> then it should be!
> 
> Anyways, if someone wants an idea, it would be to organize all the 
> information about typo3 into one site.  One site where we can go to get 
> support and the solutions to our problem.  One search form that searches 
> everything at once.     
> 
> And once again, if you want an example of what I mean by a good 
> tutorial, check out some of Marlie's tutorials.
> 
>>
>> The time I spend on replying to you, could have been used better. I 
>> could have made guides for RealURL or another extension or something 
>> else.
>> Your question has been answered many times, even though it's all in 
>> the manual, so try searching the archives [3] before posting away.
>> Finally [4] is a link someone has given you before. In hopes that you 
>> would read it this time.
>>
>> Also, could you please adjust your computer clock. It's about 12 hours 
>> in front, and that makes your topic stay in top and also the online go 
>> rather nuts.
>>
>> Now start reading ;)
>>
>> - Lars
>>
>> [1] http://wiki.typo3.org/index.php/EXT/realurl/examples
>> [2] http://wiki.typo3.org/index.php/EXT/realurl/manual
>> [3] 
>> http://typo3.org/documentation/mailing-lists/english-main-list-archive/
>> [4] 
>> http://typo3.org/community/mailing-lists/mailing-list-rules-guidelines/
>>

A-san, I agree with you on some points; Typo3 is a great program with 
inconsistent documentation. I don't think it's necessarily an English as 
a Second Language issue; I think the problem stems from the fact that 
programmers aren't technical writers, and have such an advanced 
knowledge of their product that they don't necessarily consider the 
simple stuff. At the same time, who's going to document their product? 
Are you willing? It's a complaint with no easy and apparent solution. I 
think I can write some good tutorials on some of the extensions and 
plugins I've used, but I don't have the time. I'm sure a lot of people 
have that same issue.

Between Marlies Creative Universe and this newsgroup, I've been able to 
accomplish almost everything I've set out to do, so the resources are 
there. In fact, I just read a post where someone noticed a bug, and the 
developer had a new release within the weekend.

Typo3 is open-source, and as such is generally worked on by people 
during their free time and without compensation. I believe the 
trade-off: thousands of dollars saved vs. research headaches - is well 
worth it.

I understand your frustration, and I'm not trying to be a d-ck. If you 
want to write some beginner's tutorials on the products you know, I'll 
do the same. Asking others to do something that you're not willing to do 
really leaves you no room for complaint.

Best regards,
Floyd Arguello