Title: WordPress Docs / Forums Criticism
Last modified: August 19, 2016

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# WordPress Docs / Forums Criticism

 *  [mothmenace](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mothmenace/)
 * (@mothmenace)
 * [17 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-docs-forums-criticism/)
 * Hello, I’m finding the WordPress Codex docs and these forums increasingly hard
   to use and search. The project is becoming a victim of its own success.
 * Here are some complaints:
    • Codex searches return foreign language results, 
   user pages before docs? • Can’t filter forum search by section, WP build, or 
   by ‘has >1 responses’. • Many posts seem to go unanswered, forums feel swamped(
   needs a ‘Newbies’ section?). • Pages like this are becoming too long: [http://codex.wordpress.org/Main_Page](http://codex.wordpress.org/Main_Page)(
   eg ‘Using Permalinks’ appears more than once in list) • Some advanced things 
   like permalink rewrite rules feel under-documented. • There’s so many plugins
   listed, it’s getting hard to find what you want. You can have too much of a good
   thing!
 * WP is still an amazing project, nothing comes close IMO. 2.7 was a real bar-raiser.
   But I find myself struggling a little more to find answers now. It’s not just
   WP, jQuery & Firefox suffer from ‘noise’ too.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

 *  [Clayton James](https://wordpress.org/support/users/claytonjames/)
 * (@claytonjames)
 * [17 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-docs-forums-criticism/#post-1000291)
 * I think you have some good, valid observations there, mothmenace.
 * [Codex:Contributing](http://codex.wordpress.org/Codex:Contributing)
 * I wish I had enough knowledge to contribute to the documentation with any type
   of confidence or authority, but I’m forever just a student, I’m afraid.
 * _“Many posts seem to go unanswered, forums feel swamped (needs a ‘Newbies’ section?).”_
 * Odd you should mention that. I thought it was just me, but it seems (at least
   I thought I could see a developing pattern) very noticeable of late. My own perceptions
   of this, is that a _huge_ number of the unanswered questions seem to be those
   that are easily and sometimes _very, very_ quickly searchable, and have often
   been answered (either affirmatively or negatively), many, many times over.
 * It seems like people just don’t know how to search the available resources. (
   or just don’t want to). I blame that on the instant gratification syndrome brought
   on by the light-speed proliferation of little, or no effort information available
   on the internet. (‘yep. I’m guilty too!) Now _there’s_ a paradox… 🙂
 * _“WP is still an amazing project, nothing comes close IMO. 2.7 was a real bar-
   raiser.” _
 * I agree. I just can’t learn fast enough to suit me anymore. I use WordPress daily,
   both intranet and internet installations. For me, 2.7 was just like having the
   developers finally shine a bright light on the whole thing. (I’ve been with it
   since 1.5). I have a pretty good time with it.
 * </pointless ramble>
 * Peace!
 *  Thread Starter [mothmenace](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mothmenace/)
 * (@mothmenace)
 * [17 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-docs-forums-criticism/#post-1000317)
 * I agree that contributing is a little daunting – I’d feel more comfortable with
   something like PHP/Flash docs, where you can comment underneath a page and there
   is moderation/admin responses if necessary. That way semi-pro people can contribute
   without the fear of getting it wrong. I know there are user pages but keeping
   everything in 1 page is more concise/readable IMO.
 * As you say, lot’s of peeps posting then finding their answer shortly after! I
   do hope WP adds a ‘newbie’ section… I completely agree, everyone is getting lazier
   myself included, but I think the basic WP search functions are exacerbating the
   problem.
 * It sounds shallow, but the UI/graphical improvements in 2.7 really made it stand
   out for me! All the best
 *  [avanimisra](https://wordpress.org/support/users/avanimisra/)
 * (@avanimisra)
 * [17 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-docs-forums-criticism/#post-1000337)
 * I sometimes end up using google search with the clause “site:wordpress.org” appended
   at the end (for both support and plugin search); but yes, this does not solve
   the lack of advanced search features at the forums, and is something that I find
   myself asking for too, [apart from other things](http://wordpress.org/support/topic/247415?replies=2).
 * I’d love to contribute back to the documentation, but I also feel under-prepared.
   But I am hoping to get there soon.
 * Good points, I’m inclined to agree with them.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

The topic ‘WordPress Docs / Forums Criticism’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [forum](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/forum/)

 * In: [Requests and Feedback](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/requests-and-feedback/)
 * 3 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [avanimisra](https://wordpress.org/support/users/avanimisra/)
 * Last activity: [17 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-docs-forums-criticism/#post-1000337)
 * Status: not resolved

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