New Comer Guide to UTouch
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After being quite frustrated by the lack of much information in the 'User Guide' part of the UBports documentation (especially the 'Daily Use' portion) I am actually really glad to have found this post.
I'm glad to see that there is some serious thought going into improving it, as right now I feel like a robust user guide is exactly what I need as someone who still feels like they are wrestling with Ubuntu Touch rather than using it comfortably. I know that I also can't be the only one who feels this way.
If the UBports documentation can be improved in the way that has been suggested in this thread (as well as some other ways too), then I think this would solve a lot of issues that people are having. Looking across the forum I am seeing a lot of questions being asked that could in theory be solved by a good user manual. I think this would reduce headaches for both people who are getting used to the OS, as well as for those who frequent the forum to help people who are always having to answer questions that have already been asked, (I'm pretty sure I've asked questions that have already been answered before).
I'm not suggesting for a minute that we start telling people to RTFM, but I would really like a good manual to go and read when it comes to using Ubuntu Touch.
I hope that these suggestions and posts are in the works to be added to the current documentation.
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@adlinux certainly is important but like the see, time and efforts comes and goes.
Recently I remembered the welcome app could have a small list of most wanted features explained.Help adding item to the docs is wanted and would be really appreciated. You could help here: https://github.com/ubports/docs.ubports.com/
And just by curiosity, what is the aspect of the OS that would you struggle the most?
Maybe that could be an interesting poll -
@adlinux Well maybe it is YOU doing Pull Requests to improve it?
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@adlinux Because we simply do not have the resources obviously, otherwise it would already have happened.
- 8 days later
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@CiberSheep @Flohack You know I have thought about adding to it rather than just complaining lol
Once I get to grips with using the OS more (and have a more stable build of it on a future phone) I will almost certainly write up some of the pages I've been thinking of!
As for what I'm struggling with: updates. They seem to be a bit of a mystery, I see a lot of people (myself included) asking various questions about the update system but the only clear information I can find easily is to do with the OTA stable system, anything else doesn't seem as clear.
So a page on the guide dedicated to the different update systems, and a quick troubleshooting guide for typical problems related to it would go a long way.
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@adlinux said in New Comer Guide to UTouch:
Welcome onboard... maybe? ^__^ all help is welcome
As for what I'm struggling with: updates. They seem to be a bit of a mystery [...]
Do you mean what changes on every update? Or information about each channel?
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@cibersheep I'll certainly be looking into it! I'm just wondering if it's possible to take screenshots of the setup screens, i.e the initial language selection screen when you first install the OS. Just something I'm thinking of for a step by step guide (even if the initial setup is pretty straight forward in the first place).
As for me not understanding the update channels; it's mostly the information about the different channels, and how they are numbered. For example OTA 17 is the current stable build, and that's the one everyone talks about. But I've had it before where my phone (which at the time was getting builds from the dev channel I think) was saying things like 'Version 138'. Well there's a whole load of numbers between 17 and 138 lol so these two clearly aren't one and the same.
So an explanation as to the different numbering systems for the different channels would be great as this seems to be a bit of a grey area.
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@adlinux In dev canal builds are generated very frequently (on a daily basis), in RC less frequently and in stable even less frequently.
As a result, build numbers are larger in the dev channel than in the RC channel and much larger than in the stable channel. -
@adlinux said in New Comer Guide to UTouch:
@cibersheep I'll certainly be looking into it! I'm just wondering if it's possible to take screenshots of the setup screens,
Yep. It is possible. I'm sure I have some but in my language.
On any screen you should be able to take a screenshot pressing at the same time vol+ and vol- (except the Pinephone due hardware issue)As for me not understanding the update channels; it's mostly the information about the different channels, and how they are numbered.
Main channels are Development > Release Candidate > Stable
As libremax said, Dev channel is updated nearly every day (if had been pushed changed to the system repos). Every week, on Wednesday (if I'm not wrong) if no errors, changes from Dev will come to RC channel. On OTA times, the changes, after being tested, will come to stable.
The number of update is dependant on each device and channel. You have a date related update name in System Settings > About > Operating System
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@libremax That makes sense, thank you for clearing that up for me
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@cibersheep I've been a typical British person and haven't even considered languages other than English. Are there even Ubuntu Touch guides in other languages? If not then this clearly is another issue all together that needs resolving.
This information about the update system makes a lot more sense now, this is definitely something that will need to go in the guide. Once I get myself a more functional Ubuntu phone I am going to look into doing some quick write ups of potential guide pages, and info like this will be going into it.
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@adlinux said in New Comer Guide to UTouch:
[...] Are there even Ubuntu Touch guides in other languages?
That's a interesting topic. The docs have a weblate where they can be translated. But a minimum of text should be done or they will appear in English.
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@cibersheep Well I suppose this will need to be a one step at a time kind of thing. Once a half decent guide for one language is set up then surely it shouldn't be too much trouble for people to translate it later.