View source for Avisynth wiki:Community portal

Welcome to the AviSynth Community Portal, the right place to start if you are wondering what the [http://sourceforge.net/projects/avisynth2 AviSynth] project is and how to help with its documentation. There isn't any help that is too small; your effort counts and is highly appreciated!

Below there are various pages of interest to jumpstart your life as an AviSynth documentation volunteer.

== What is AviSynth? ==

AviSynth is a powerful tool for video post-production. It provides almost unlimited ways of editing and processing videos. AviSynth works as a [[frameserver]], providing instant editing without the need for temporary files.

AviSynth itself does not provide a graphical user interface (GUI) but instead relies on a script system that allows advanced non-linear editing. While this may at first seem tedious and unintuitive, it is remarkably powerful and is a very good way to manage projects in a precise, consistent, and reproducible manner. Because text-based scripts are human readable, projects are inherently self-documenting. The scripting language is simple yet powerful, and complex filters can be created from basic operations to develop a sophisticated palette of useful and unique effects.

Interested? On this site, you can read [[more about AviSynth]], search the official [[Internal filters|AviSynth manual]], and browse the [[AviSynth FAQ]]. Or you can jump straight to the [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=57023 download page] at [http://www.avisynth.org/SourceForge SourceForge].

== How can I contribute to the AviSynth documentation project? ==

Well, simply ''select a page'' which is of interest to you ''and start making your additions or corrections''. We have decided to use a wiki (that's what you are now looking at) so that writing documentation is as easy as reading it! You can also create a new page to add an item that does not exist. But '''before''' you do so use the <tt>Search</tt> box at the wiki navigation bar to see if is already treated at a page that has escaped your attention.

We maintain a list of ''highly-wanted'' documentation tasks at the [[Avisynth_wiki:Current_events|Current events]] page. This list was created as a project-coordination aid. Please take the time to browse it from time to time; you may find a task that is in line with your contribution plans. However, this is ''not'' by any means obligatory, neither makes it your chosen way to contribute inferior in any way. We appreciate and welcome '''every''' contribution here, so feel free to take any route that you want. 

We are also in the need of ''localisation'' volunteers to port AviSynth documentation to other languages. There are already a number of localisation projects ongoing that need help to catch up with the english version of the documentation. You can also start a new one, to port AviSynth documentation to your language. See the [[Avisynth:Localisation|AviSynth Localisation]] page for details.

If you are not familiar with wikis, browse our [[Help:Contents|Help]]. After reading it you should be able to perform basic wiki-editing stuff within a couple of minutes. That's all is needed. Even if you find difficulties in formatting your text to your wishes, don't worry, other contributors will help you with this task. After finishing your content, you can put a message in the associated <tt>Discussion</tt> page and ask someone to help you with formatting. 

Read also this '''short survival guide''' before proceeding to contribute changes to the wiki. It will help you to do so in a productive manner and avoid common pitfalls when participating to open, collaborative projects:

* You can always find what's happening at the wiki by following the [[Special:Recent changes|Recent changes]] link in the wiki navigation bar.

* When changing a page that others are actively maintaining, remember that different people have different views of what is considered good style or not. Try to '''focus on the important things''' (that is whether something contributes to the contents or doesn't) and not on stylistic issues (that is how it is phrased). In any case, put a remark at the summary page for the reason you are making the correction.

* If you plan to make a lot of changes to a page, post a message at the associated discussion page to '''notify others''' about your plan. Wait for a sufficient time for responses (at least a week; maybe more for more important changes) and if there is consensus, or no response (which most of the time will imply a consensus) proceed to make the changes.

* If you plan to change a group of pages, it will help to create a draft so that others can review it. A good example is always a helpful way to promote your vision for change. Use your <tt>User:</tt> page for this (follow the relevant link at the top-right of any wiki page to go there). It is a page that you can freely modify, without possibly irritating others.

* If you find that your changes are rejected by another user, '''don't enter in an editing war''' with him/her. If you can not reach consensus by exchanging your views at the associated discussion page, ask a SysOp to solve the issue. You can do that either by posting a request at the same discussion page, or, if you find that your request is purposely deleted by the other(s) user(s), directly to a SysOp's <tt>User:Talk</tt> page. 

* Please, remember to put a series of 4 consecutive tildes, that is <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki> at the end of your messages in discussion pages. This sequence converts to your username and date of the message and helps others know without looking at the logs who posted the message and when. 

* '''Be patient'''. People in this wiki are contributing at their spare time and thus it can be a while before they respond.

* Last, but not least. Familiarize yourself with the [[Avisynth:Copyrights|AviSynth documentation copyright]]. By adding or modifying a page you will agree that your contributions will fall under the "CC BY-SA 3.0" license.

== How can I contribute to AviSynth in general? ==

See [[Contributing|Contributing to AviSynth]], a step-through guide describing the things you can do, besides writing documentation, to contribute to the [http://sourceforge.net/projects/avisynth2 AviSynth] project.

== Are there any Guidelines? ==

Sure there are, but are not well documented. Please read the related section in [[Help:Contents|Help]] to find out the basics. You may also consider to contribute documenting this aspect.

== Who is in charge of the AviSynth documentation project? ==

As most community-driven projects, the AviSynth documentation project is a collaborative effort of all the users of this wiki. 

If you are looking for the current wiki admins, open the [[Special:Listusers|User List]] special page and select "Sysops" from the "Group" listbox, then press the "Go" button.

== What's going on? ==

To find what is going on, check out the [[Current_events|Current events]] page, a link on which is placed at the sidebar on every page of this wiki, to keep up with the AviSynth community. 

You can also browse the threads at the [http://forum.doom9.org/forumdisplay.php?f=33 AviSynth Usage] and [http://forum.doom9.org/forumdisplay.php?f=69 AviSynth Development] forums of [http://www.doom9.org doom9.org] to get a daily update of ongoing discussions.

== Help! ==

Yes, [[Help:Contents|immediately]].