This poll is for KDE users. I've created it because I'm curious to see who uses KDE Help Center, and how much (the first 4 options of poll). I've also included a final question regarding the need for improvements. So choose one option, with an optional second option (final question).

Hope you find this poll as interesting as I will.
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Here's my opinion:
I really would like to see improvements made to KDE's help system (khelpcenter). I have gone through the kde-runtime change log and could not ever find a change that has been made to it. Personally, I think khelpcenter is archaic, and I would like to see it completely revamped.
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Edited on Oct 22/09:
After reading the comments to date I get the feeling that most Kubuntu users do not use the khelpcenter, but tend to look things up on Google instead. My conclusion from this is that khelpcenter should be trashed and the F1 help key be linked to the default browser. However, I do still think that it would be really handy to hit the F1 button and have khelpcenter give options under three categories: 1) look at offline man and docs, 2) offer to download the "missing" help file from the repository, or 3) search for keywords on various KDE ( and/or ubuntu) document sites. The idea of hitting one (or two) keys to get help appeals to me much more then searching for the answer on Google or in a forum.

Feel free to add your comments on how the help system could be improved.
And if you haven't already voted for (or against) changing khelpcenter, visit brainstorm.php#idea82760

Ok, I do not use kde help because all the kde programs which I use do not need help

I remember one time I use khelp, I think how to play a game.

Khelp haves some issues:
1- RTL bug in the browsing tree.
2- Old documentation.

Note that users can help improve the documentation by writing new documentation for applications, etc. and sending it to kde-doc-english@kde.org so the Documentation team can convert it to docbook and add it to SVN for the next release of KDE.

Kubuntu doesnt seem to install many of the documentation and so I don't use it, although I have never really needed it besides for games.

bcooksley: I didn't know that. Seems to be very hidden

I voted for "Never" and the revamp. There could be some improvement, like easier adding articles to it.

Here's the link to the discussion in Brainstorm, which was started by tjk, the creator of this poll: brainstorm.php?mode=idea&i=82760

Never. I don't have any docs installed (because I use them so rarely), and when I run into a problem it's often faster to just search on Google.

I was wondering about my vote. My thought was, that I would use the forum more often than looking at the help center (I would only search for game explanations at the help center). So what about a forum plugin, to set topics to "Show as solution in help center" or something? The help center would show up this topic and add it to its index for searching. So there's no need to know, that there's a forum. You see the content of the forum without browsing to it.

Hans wrote:...when I run into a problem it's often faster to just search on Google.

Same for me. Google knows best and can direct me pretty close to an answer

I have rarely used the included manuals because early on I realised that most of them have only the things that are pretty obvious. Anything more complicated, which is what I'd be looking, for just isn't there. As others have said, google at least points to a number of possible solutions. The less good side, though, is that new users are pointed to wrong solutions quite often.

That's the reason I want to see more tutorials on userbase - and more links to useful problem-solving threads on the forum.

The only time I tried to use the KDE Help was to learn how to play a game. And yes it was fun:)
I think that the forum is the best place to look for help, or Google of course. If we build a strong community base here then answers to questions will be a lot easier to find rather than relying on KDE Help. For example, if I ever need reference or quick help/answer to simple question for Fedora I go to the Fedora Forums and there is always an answer waiting for me. In my 16 year old opinion, a strong forum like the Fedora Forums is one of the best ways to find answers.

bcooksley wrote:Note that users can help improve the documentation by writing new documentation for applications, etc. and sending it to kde-doc-english@kde.org so the Documentation team can convert it to docbook and add it to SVN for the next release of KDE.

It would be very cool it the help texts actually were a wiki, that can be maintained by the community.

XiniX wrote:

bcooksley wrote:Note that users can help improve the documentation by writing new documentation for applications, etc. and sending it to kde-doc-english@kde.org so the Documentation team can convert it to docbook and add it to SVN for the next release of KDE.

It would be very cool it the help texts actually were a wiki, that can be maintained by the community.

The KWord author wanted to test this theory, and would be delighted if you want to try it out. You can find the old KWord Manual at http://userbase.kde.org/KWord/Manual. If you want any help or guidance, user IRC #kde-www.

annew wrote:The KWord author wanted to test this theory, and would be delighted if you want to try it out. You can find the old KWord Manual at http://userbase.kde.org/KWord/Manual. If you want any help or guidance, user IRC #kde-www.

I had this bookmarked, but didn't really know how useful it could be... It has potential. The only thing is that this site appears not to support non-kde packages, so documents like gnumeric-doc would not be included in the search.

Again, I think that khelpcenter, could be greatly improved simply by incorporating a search engine that would search several default or recommended sites or wikis at one time (besides searching local manuals and documents), giving a similar result as google. (My ideas of khelpcenter would be like having google desktop and google web search combined, to search specific locations.)

I think it's unlikely, not to say unrealistic, to expect khelpcenter to search and/or feature non-KDE applications. Where there are issues of interoperability it is sensible to add them to userbase, though, as we do when talking about making other browsers sit more comfortably with KDE.

ages ago I used suse. around v7, i think, they had a quite comfortable help browser. it included all documentatation installed on the machine, infopages, manpages, handbooks ... . it was quite handy as I could view all docs with the same application. that's something I was looking for ever since then (suse turned to htdig, but that did never work as good).