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

[Guest]

[Melih]

we could do with a glossary as well.

majority of people won't know what a rootkit is etc...

thanks
Melih

[OD]

I know I don't  know if this will be included in the book, as I said I just wanted to do this.

Also I thought I had posted it
but I had not

We need to come up with an Organization scheme for this Wiki.
As I envision it might come to include many of Comodos Products
as well as Internet security and computer privacy info --Opus Dei 18:46, 28 November 2007 (UTC)
Edit: This would be much easier sooner than later
--Opus Dei 20:40, 28 November 2007 (UTC)
 what is your thinking on this Melih
I am thinking on calling the wiki
Comodo Internet security Wiki
with the comodo products as sub catagories and then some kind of general discuusion  the admins could lock the areas we do not want to develop right away
 
on this you are the boss unless you don't want to be it your wiki after all.

OD

we could do with a glossary as well.

majority of people won't know what a rootkit is etc...

thanks
Melih

[Melih]

I know I don't  know if this will be included in the book, as I said I just wanted to do this.

Also I thought I had posted it
but I had not

We need to come up with an Organization scheme for this Wiki.
As I envision it might come to include many of Comodos Products
as well as Internet security and computer privacy info --Opus Dei 18:46, 28 November 2007 (UTC)
Edit: This would be much easier sooner than later
--Opus Dei 20:40, 28 November 2007 (UTC)
 what is your thinking on this Melih
I am thinking on calling the wiki
Comodo Internet security Wiki
with the comodo products as sub catagories and then some kind of general discuusion  the admins could lock the areas we do not want to develop right away
 
on this you are the boss unless you don't want to be it your wiki after all.

OD

I think you are on the right lines OD..

thanks
Melih

[JolietJake]

I can offer my help, for example, going through the manuals proof reading and testing them to see if I can follow all the instructions easily and providing feedback give me a shout.

[anpmech007]

IMHO: One of the best ways to explain something is through examples of common setups. So a guide/manual should have a few setup examples (such as a home LAN) with a few permutations on the examples (different LAN setups, routing configurations) so that users can see how things work. Furthermore as I have been trying to learn more about computers and networking 'on the fly' I am constantly frustrated by definitions/explanations that while technically true tell me nothing that I can use, like the joke about the balloonist asking a computer tech support guy on the ground where he is: "You're in a balloon up in the air". There should be a section/appendix on Windows services and setup and who could/would use them and which ones can be disabled/removed for what situation (In plain English). E.g. Can "I" disable NetBIOS? Typical tech support answer: If you never use NetBIOS you can disable it. But how do I know if I/MY computer uses it or will someday need it? Who uses it, how, when, and for what (give common, specific examples)? As for a three part manual, it is a good idea; one way would be to have three explanations clearly marked with icons denoting depth so that the reader can pick which one best suits them for each subject as someone may want more depth on a single topic without going elsewhere.

[Ron_75]

Very well explained  anpmech007 

I totally agree with you

[Melih]

Shall we ask for more user participation for each topic now that we have more visibility to each topic?

thanks
Melih

[cpfuser]

I was talking w/ a technical writer today about what's good, what's bad.  He indicated that the key thing is to write (in simple terms, no fancy words - whether technical or not) from the standpoint of tasks, rather than tools.  In other words, imagine a specific goal, and explain from start to finish how to do it.  Most software manuals simply explain what it can do, or what each "tool" within it does, rather than helping a user accomplish a task, and that's where they go wrong.

There are (I think) excellent posts here about what firewalls are, why they're needed, and so on.  There are also some excellent tutorials that can probably be modified to be more user-friendly for this type of project.  Such as, "How do I set up my firewall so it's secure but I don't have to worry about it all the time?", "How do I get my p2p application to work?" "How do I set up a file server?  ...FTP server?... Remote access?  ...Home network?" and so on.  Think of things the different levels of user (focusing primarily on the average user) would want to do, and write a "How to" on that subject, with lots of pics and clear, step-by-step instructions.

LM

This approach is "object oriented" and should be the most effective way rather than following usual way of making a boring manual for "Dummies".

Some ideas for sections:
Windows Services/components and how they relate to firewalls.
Essential Internet protocols (HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, POP, IMAP, SMTP, NNTP etc), what they are, how they're used.
Vulnerabilities, what they are and how a firewall can help to protect (with examples).   
A how and why, on creating custom rules.

Btw, is this going to focus on V3 only?

Toggie

The idea is good but is it better to place this in another comprehensive manual for advance users?

Regards
cpfuser

[NTxLS]

If I may add some verbage to this discussion?  You do not even know how important what you are talking about here is to the remainder of the WWW users.  I for one have been bouncing around this web looking for information that covers some of what you have been discussing here.  I am not by any streach of the immagination a creater of worded products that are readable by even myself, but; if I can be of any assistance do include me as maybe a proof reader or maybe putting thingys together and removing some extra fluff that I add where it should not be.

Is that enough proof that I can put words together that have no meaning?

Thank you for this GREAT FireWall and this idea for some education for those of us that need it,

[Toggie]

Thanks for the input guys I imagine that once the Christmas thing is over we can get down to business.

I think it might be worth while creating a single post where we can add the names of volunteers who have offered their services in various capacities. 

[Ron_75]

its good if every feature, every function, every setting and option is given an explaintation for, even if its short its still better than having no info at all.

examples of somethings that shouldn't be missed out on are the firewall and defense+ alerts, a litle explaination as to what each choice/setting does and can be used for, and when one says used for its easier if it can be related to something else. for instance trusted applications can be used for programs from trusted vendors like comodo, microsoft, AVG etc.

Browser setting can be used for web browser like IE, firefox, Opera etc <-- and thats the only short description and example the manual has one for  lol

other things for a better descrption and what is does for the user in practical terms would be like Defense+  Access Rights & Protection Settings, umm well that one looks logical but how many knows what programs they can customize with them settings? lol well apart from Melih LOL


there is so much left unexplained or in a way that helps a person understand what something can be used for. the help file mostly says what something does but doesn't go into any detail about what it can be used for, apart from a couple of things which are explained well, but most importantly described what it can be used for .

thats about all i have to say, well apart from that it might be good that people who feel they could explain a part well they write for that part/section atleast that way every feature/setting/options etc etc  could be covered  and someone else another part and so on. so.. and then someone looks it over and in the end it all comes together to form like a book   for example it can be broken up into such little bits like person 1 who can do it explain what every choice option in a defense+ alert does with a little descrciption and an example of what type programs one would associate with that choice.  ie browser = for ie, firefox so on.  and make the book in chapters lol...

and no i do not want to take part, cos like that guy above me somewhere i tend to trip over my own words and end up typing too much haha

[Melih]

Thanks for the input guys I imagine that once the Christmas thing is over we can get down to business.

I think it might be worth while creating a single post where we can add the names of volunteers who have offered their services in various capacities. 

Good idea Toggie.

Melih

[AnotherOne]

One thing that needs immediate attention by users is the compatibility issue.  A list of any known problems or work-arounds for different software and configurations should receive top billing.  Also, a list of services that CFP needs to have to run properly (maybe this should be a feature request - scan the running processes at installation to verify the presence of required Services.  Maybe a scan at bootup too?).
I like the notion of anpmech007 about using examples.  In a couple of rare instances, I have encountered users who did not have the expected auto-detect of their LAN configuration, so an example of what the proper setup should include would be nice - with examples for each kind of setup (one guy had a router on an address more than 255 away from the computer address and that failed to be set up properly).
Another useful initial topic would be the use of the interface.  A lot of people have trouble understanding what the different parts are for, and a run-down of the purpose of the parts would save confusion.  Maybe as screen shots with scroll-over balloon messages?  An actual expandable version of each dialog screen - allowing the user to click on a button and have the button work, but not save any changes - with scroll-over messages about the use of the buttons would be a great teaching aid.  You could link the different tutorials to it so that people could see what the actions being described look like in execution.

[NTxLS]

One thing that needs immediate attention by users is the compatibility issue.

Snippity snip snip for brevity . . .

Another useful initial topic would be the use of the interface.  A lot of people have trouble understanding what the different parts are for, and a run-down of the purpose of the parts would save confusion.  Maybe as screen shots with scroll-over balloon messages?  An actual expandable version of each dialog screen - allowing the user to click on a button and have the button work, but not save any changes - with scroll-over messages about the use of the buttons would be a great teaching aid.  You could link the different tutorials to it so that people could see what the actions being described look like in execution.

If I may add to this lengthy bit of information?  Add to that if any 'ticks' are made and a user would like to save that info for individual 'teaching aid' as you have suggested also have them use some little progy for a screensaver or window saver so that info can be placed in their FW after doing the tutorial you have described.  I am using WinSnap for my screenshots.

Thank you for reading my message,

[Melih]

how is that initiative coming along?

anything I can help with?
thanks
Melih

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