Comodo Firewall - Help for Users written by Users! Volume 1, 2, 3

[Guest]

[AnotherOne]

I did a collection of screen shots for the purpose of making a mock interface, but the complete set of shots was over 200 jpg's and almost 16 Mb.  By the time links and comments are added, the whole thing would be between 20 and 50 Mb, depending on the format.  I would need to know what format is best and maybe some input on the software that could do this without making the finished file too enormous.  Then there is the question of uploading such a large file.....  Do we even want to go that way?  Is it just too big for the purpose?

[Melih]

I think its ok, because the reader would be looking at these one by one anyway..

thanks
Melih

[AnotherOne]

OK, Comodo does not mind hosting it, but what format should it be?  I can do an HTM format using Front Page 2000 - does that work?  Is there a better method?

[panic]

I think either HTML or linked PDF would be the best format, as both of these are pretty much universally readable.

You may find that if Comodo, as the docs sponsors, are going to host the files, they may have their own preferred format with Comodo branding.

Ewen :-)

[Melih]

both html or pdf are good.
thanks
Melih

[AnotherOne]

Now I have a new problem.  I was using Winword from Office 2000 and while it adds links and call-outs for adding comments nicely without borders and backgrounds, when I tested a portion of the document (saved as a web page) for appearance in a browser, it shows the whole sequence of screen shots as a single scrollable page.  While the links and comments are fine, having to load a 30 Mb page (over 200 screen shots at 150Kb each) will not get a lot of repeat customers.  I am completely new to web page construction, so I was hoping that someone might have a solution to this problem.  I have tried Frontpage, but the version I have is useless for adding the comments that I wanted to include.  It also insists on having a lovely border around any boxes that I use to install links on the screenshots.  Should I be using Powerpoint?  I also have the WordPerfect Office 12 suite.

[AnotherOne]

I can create the comments in Word and then copy them to Irfanview and save them as a jpg and then insert them into Frontpage (just copying and pasting them from Word results in all the comments being pushed into a corner), but this will not allow the comments to be editable as I had hoped and I am sure that others might have input about the use of comments.  As an example, I attach a jpg of the screenshot with comments.

[AnotherOne]

I am just going to proceed with creating the webs in Frontpage.  It is a bit slow, since it involves the Word>Irfanview>Frontpage process to create the comments, but once that is done (about 1/3 there) it will be faster to put the links in and finish it.  Any edits to the comments will have to be done with a photo editor.  It could be done sooner but unfortunately something called "Real Life" keeps intruding.

[Japo]

AnotherOne,

Why not using the PNG format instead of the JPG, which introduces compression noise into the image (and is even bigger in size most times)? Using JPG would spoil somewhat the aesthetics of the guide.

[AnotherOne]

The only problem is that my screen capture utility saves the shots as jpg's.  There is no virtue to converting formats, since the conversion usually causes some degradation of image quality in addition to any image quality loss due to the jpg format.  I'm saving the jpg's at 90% of lossless, so it should not be too ugly.

[gibran]

There is a freeware product http://www.xnview.com/ that comes with a streamlined screen capture utility and can handle a lot of file formats.
If you need no advanced capture utility maybe it's worth a try.

Alternatively there is http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/screenshotcaptor/index.html although no payment is demanded there is a little catch as developers wish for responsible donations.

[Paul Comodo]

Hi

Just a note to those that are involved in the creation of the Firewall book.

* We have just begun to upload the existing help guide to the wiki as a general resource for contributors. (we're about 15% in at the moment.) Hopefully it will be a useful reference or to form a starting point from which bigger and better things can be created . We have not interfered with the original book in any way, rather we are uploading this in parrallel with it's own TOC here:

http://wiki.comodo.com/CFP3/Help_Guide/Table_Of_Contents

I'll add a link to this TOC to the main page soon (wiki.comodo.com)

* Graphics have now been enabled on the Wiki - so members can use the 'upload file' function to illustrate their work/upload screenshots.

That's it really. We hope that having the existing help guide within easy reach will help you along with this project. It goes without saying that any content from the existing guide can be copied and pasted straight into the main book if you feel it will help.

Purely as an FYI - I have also attached a progress spreadsheet which will tell you which pages are done and which ones remain to be done. We have a Comodo staff member working on it and it should be pretty much fully uploaded by Tuesday/Wednesday next week.

Thanks

Paul

* Updated wiki progress sheet attached - 021108 *

[Paul Comodo]

Hi All


http://wiki.comodo.com/CFP3/Help_Guide/Table_Of_Contents

The wiki version of the Comodo help guide has now been fully uploaded save for the following:

- installation page needs updating to reflect the (just released) 3.0.17.304 installer (should be completed by tomorrow) 

*** Update - The installation page is now updated *** 

Once again, this guide is fully open for editing and is intended as a useful resource by the members that are contributing to the :book wiki project. Thanks for your time and dedication to what will be a fantastic guide.

[adric]

I took a quick glance at the guide and I like it. Very nice and comprehensive. Is this going to always be a Wiki or will you also have a PDF version of it?

Al

[Paul Comodo]

Hi Adric

Sorry for the very late response mate.

Yes, there is a pdf version of the guide which is available through our website here: http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/support.html

The purpose of the wiki version is to help the book creators in any way it can - by providing some already uploaded images to reference and content that they can use as a starting point if they want to - and to have it all in the same environment and within a couple of clicks.

Modifying the help guide in itself is also welcomed.

Paul

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