Why are people asking the same questions over and over again? (Or the Regulars' Chatroom) šŸ¤·

OMG - you mean they talk about us? :scream:

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For some areas, definitely. If someone is writing a complicated routine to extract statistics from an energy monitoring device and to perform mathematical functions on them then the odds are that theyā€™re an experienced user who needs highly technical documents and doesnā€™t need a lot of basic details explaining to them.

I think that maybe where the documentation that already exists falls down a bit is in dealing with the people who just want to do one or two things, like taking the cloud out of the equation for their smart lights, rather than building a fully functional home automation system. People who are task orientated, rather than interested in gaining a full technical understanding of HA. They want to know how to do something, rather than how to get HA to do something, if you get my meaning.

Like someone who goes onto Youtube to look for a video on how to fill their washer bottle up, but who isnā€™t looking to do a full automobile maintenance course.

The problem is getting the balance right. Ideally weā€™d have some documentation that starts by explaining how to do something, and then goes on to explain why they are doing each of the things that they are doing?

If we put too much technical information up front the people who just want to know a few things that specifically relate to what they are doing will just tune out.

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Iā€™d welcome some instructions on how to do that, I could only see the private flag option on the interface, not the flag as inappropriate.

When you click the flag, it will have a pop up where you select the type.

Absolutely. Weā€™re trying to take this approach with the Home Assistant Cookbook. Perhaps youā€™d like to contribute?

The Home Assistant Cookbook - Index.

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This is the constant battle in user adoption and why Im very happy to see some of the recent Nabu hires. They seem directed at this exact point.

Theres a point where weā€™re providing just enough to get someone excited and they take off and run unfortunately that tipping point is different for everyone. For a very technical user it may be as simple as hereā€™s the website. For others we have a hill to climb before they see a website.

(this is the same problem Microsoft and Amazon and Google have getting new users into mature cloud properties btw)

Personally I like the idea of a primer series. Probably in video format (itā€™s friendlier) but in these we MUST stay away from specifics and ride higher in the water. Go conceptual.

Like what is an integration and why does HA do it that way. (7min) If you havenā€™t seen videos 1,2,3 you probably want to watch them nowā€¦ In the video weā€™d discuss when to look for an integration and what it adds and why but stY away from. The actual step by step in the UI. That video could probably survive a year or so at the current cadence of UI shift.

Itā€™s all legacy equipment. Iā€™m cutting out cloud based services rather than choosing new hardware specifically for use with HA. The fact that HA s so adaptable is why I chose to use it rather than a blackbox solution.

Iā€™d really appreciate it if you stopped making comments like this. Is it really necessary to criticize every choice I make?

If you donā€™t like something that Iā€™ve done then please simply pass my comments by. Ignore me, mute me, donā€™t reply to me or about me. Just pretend that Iā€™m not here.

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Seconded. BTW.

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FYI that works both ways.

You can do this yourself.

Unfortunately, you canā€™t mute moderators.

ignored is above that too

I may work on this. It fits with something else that I was already planning to do. Be careful what you wish for.

This is why a separate space is required for discussions.
We have a good productive chat going working a project and it gets attacked with off-topic.

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Just not a private space - other people need to see how obnoxious we are. :rofl:

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If they canā€™t figure that out from our normal, day to day comments, they just arenā€™t paying attentionā€¦ :laughing:

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Thereā€™s understandā€¦ then thereā€™s hyjack

Not only !,i would say Everyone but IKEA :laughing: ( Well for their furniture assemble , that is ) , even thou their Zigbee Hub with Devices and APP , is a ā€œno brainerā€ , nothing much can go wrong, because one canā€™t do anything but click-through, ā€œlet it runā€ , and donā€™t ever think about whatā€™s going on , behind the curtain !

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Itā€™s Not !, easiest is installing File-Editor, basic although sufficient for most basic needs, and as simple as Anyone who can navigate and succeed in, in alot/most of use-cases ( first thing most people are thinking about actually ā€œHow Can I Edit A Fileā€, " How Can i Find A File"
As Google as well as The Search Box in this Forum, can provide answers to this question, i find it somehow peculiar that this is/could even a problem for 98+1% of the Population , True i am aware that for -1%, even this is a ā€œtask to overcomeā€

I agree, the VS Code add-on is a resource hog.

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Tips on Searching for Answers & Duplicate Topics in the Forum.

It is a wiki you can add to.

Also making one for the editor is something that could be done.
The best part of code server is the HA extension that helps with context and spacing, template formatting, entity lists, and the reload abilities right in the program. Resource hog yes, but it does many many things to help the user.

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Yeah i like(need) VS-Code for some tasks , but mostly use file-editor, and/or raw editor.

However for me to write a ā€œWikiā€, it would require some time, going through my "de-railings " :smile: , sometimes i even wonder how i ended up in a particular ā€œside-trackā€ or ā€œahead ofā€ , and /or people wonder what i mean, because i might already( in my head ) be 2-3 steps ahead / or on a side-track of the "conversation / current state in the discussed topic/planning/progress :thinking:

But do remind me, as i currently have to focus on getting some firewood down/cut/split n stored, for next freaking cold season

Just so that you are aware, youā€™re arguing with the wrong person.

I didnā€™t write this. Itā€™s a section from the official wiki that I was using as an example.