We try to train users to rely on the ExpressionEngine User Guide, so they can see what’s available to them, how to use tags and variables, and so on.  We strongly feel that third parties have a responsibility to document their own add-ons with the same goal for their users, and with no less importance placed on the quality of documentation.

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Hi Derek,

Let me be the first to say thank you on behalf of everyone on the forums for this resource. Absolutely fantastic. Should help out a lot of people in creating even more goodness for EE!!

Best wishes,

Mark

Docs… A programmer’s worst nightmare.
CC license for template and css i guess?

Cool, thank you Derek and EllisLab.

It is possible to have a downloadable version of EE User Guide? Hope so. Tnx

Yes, CordenNaraga, just head to your download area and you’ll find the documentation available for download.

Yes Sir, I have it now. Tnx for the free(core) version and very clear docu of EE.

Another income source for EllisLab could be the sale of printed manuals, perhaps through some sort of print-on-demand service. I keep seeing requests for a printable manual here in the forums.

Someone should make a third-party Wiki that “houses” all of this third-party documentation so it’s not scattered throughout the Internets!

Well the third party documentation would be distributed along with the third party add-on, just as the first party documentation is supplied along with the first party application.  The idea is for third parties to include documentation with their products, not for us to create a repository of all available documentation.

Hey this is very cool. At some point I’ll get some extra time and actually be able to release some of the things I’ve been building during projects. This will come in very handy, thank you!

Derek Jones - 23 January 2008 08:24 AM

Well the third party documentation would be distributed along with the third party add-on, just as the first party documentation is supplied along with the first party application.  The idea is for third parties to include documentation with their products, not for us to create a repository of all available documentation.

Yep, I understand that.  I’m just thinking that a repository for documentation might promote the “best practice” of creating documentation in the first place.  It would be neat to have everything in one place - just like the EE Wiki has done for hacks / tweaks.  Don’t worry, I’m not complaining… just wanted to offer my 2 cents.

It would be neat to have everything in one place - just like the EE Wiki has done for hacks / tweaks.

Nothing’s stopping anyone from using the ExpressionEngine wiki to link to third party documentation. :-D

Your advice was very much to the point.

The third parties do have a responsibility to help user catching the methods of using their own add-ons.