Good web support interface.

June 4, 2005 4:19 PM

I have a complex shareware program and would like to provide online help -- less complicated than a "knowledgebase" but better organized than a rambling FAQ. Have you all seen any ubercool online support pages? Where?

I've considered Wiki systems and would probably use one if it allowed a closed system -- i.e. edits limited to myself or a handful of trusted people. I know this kind of thing is a major problem with some Wikis which are configured to be too open. Any ideas for an appropriate Wiki?

Otherwise what else is out there? I like kBase that Dreamhost uses; the way that users can add comments in. I might look at kBase if it isn't too expensive. But I'm apprehensive that a knowledgebase might be too complicated and make for poorly-navigable output.

I need something easy to edit (so that it doesn't become a chore to maintain it), which is why I like the Wiki idea, but I also need it to be easy to install (just basic Linux install / basic mysql configs). And I want good output that looks good on the screen.

(And I do have a support phpBB but it's not a good place to place a lot of official help pages.)

posted by rolypolyman to computers & internet (4 comments total)

you can close a wiki. Also, just post a bunch of FAQs divided into sections.
posted by devilsbrigade at 5:06 PM on June 4, 2005

I can't answer your question, but here is a suggestion: check your Help with people who know NOTHING about your program, and are of average computer savvy. I cannot get my questions answered by many Help files because you have to know what you're looking for to find it. If you don't know what's there, how do you find it? (Did that make sense?)
posted by Doohickie at 7:09 PM on June 4, 2005

There's always the RT FAQ Manager.
posted by cmonkey at 7:34 PM on June 4, 2005

I don't have an answer, but I do want to say that your intentions are quite admirable. I work for one of the leading order processors for shareware products and few vendors offer much in the way of interactive support.
posted by BradNelson at 7:51 PM on June 4, 2005