3 ms·
I think you are on the right track but may be over estimating the "average" internet user capabilities? I had to migrate a couple of projects from awful, big r
by smashed 4y ago
I think you are on the right track but may be over estimating the "average" internet user capabilities?
I had to migrate a couple of projects from awful, big ridden, wysiwyg editors to markdown and it's a huge challenge. Many people expect everything to work just as Ms Office/word does. Anything behaving in any way different than their benchmark is wrong..
Now, going from such a mindset to Markdown is a huge endeavour. You need to re-educate your user. Many will never appreciate the raw, code-like nature of markdown and will dread it the entire time they have to endure it.
- andylynch 4y agoI really don’t get the push for markdown etc over WYSIWYG for everyday people. The _very first_ web browser was also an GUI editor, and then you already had proper rich text editors since at least the Macintosh. Why should users not expect something as basic as formatting text to follow UI conventions established through what’s now forty-odd years of use by billions or people? It is akin to asking them not to complain when swapping a steering wheel for something like the tiller on 1880s cars.
- rjsw 4y agoMarkdown works better in a VCS than WYSIWYG formats.
- samus 4y agoTechnical users are an important user segment as well, especially those used to advanced text editors and IDEs. They don't have the patience to conform to the changing and often poorly thought-through user interfaces of text processors and want the flexibility to use more powerful tools if required. Do it like JIRA: give them both. People used to GUIs can use the WYSIWYG interface, and power users can use Markdown.
- Marta_B 4y agoCKEditor also gives that option – where you can type in Markdown if you prefer that over the rich-text UI. So both sides can be happy.