"build a knowledge base" with frontpage (Full Version)

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Walls -> "build a knowledge base" with frontpage (12/28/2006 12:20:56)

All,

I am am a newbie to front page and new to the forum but it has already been a great help on other projects. I now need some advice on how to build my own knowledge base. I am not building a CRM or help desk. If anyone has a opensource template or sample I would be greatful.

My questions are:

1. Do I store my "questions and answers" and "How to's" in SQL or is this stupid to store so much text in SQL.

2. Should I have the technicians build a word doc and save it as "kb number.htm" file and enter a pointer into SQL then upload it? At first I thought this would be the simplest and and easied way to go but after trying it doesn't seem like it.

3. I would like to auto increment the KB number articles but there is not a easy way to do this that I can tell. Do any of you have a simple suggestion?



rdouglass -> RE: "build a knowledge base" with frontpage (12/28/2006 13:26:40)

quote:

Should I have the technicians


Hi and Welcome to OutFront.

How 'technical' are your techs? IMO a knowledgebase absolutely requires a database for searching and such. I think you should be playing to whatever strengths those tech's have regarding databases. There are several to choose from and your host platform will dictate some of that.

Knowledge bases should *not* run on Access. Period.

There are a few 'canned' ones on HotScripts. Have you checked there?

http://www.hotscripts.com/search/13435638.html

Personally I write my own but I am comfortable with databases.

Hope this helps.



Walls -> RE: "build a knowledge base" with frontpage (12/28/2006 13:37:30)

Our techs vary from entry level to engineer level. I am trying to standardize how we do things as well as help newly hired techs.

My only reservation using SQL for storeing "How to's" and QnA is the database may grow out of hand.

As a person who once in another life installed and worked on ATM's I often wondered why I had to install braille keypads. One day I mentioned this to a teller and she replied "that's so no one else can see what the blind customer is keying in".



rdouglass -> RE: "build a knowledge base" with frontpage (12/28/2006 13:58:15)

quote:

My only reservation using SQL for storeing "How to's" and QnA is the database may grow out of hand.


I guess I don't understand this comment. I think that the 'Word doc' approach will easily get out of hand after a dozen or so documents whereas a database is made for those kinds of things. MS's knowledgebase is in a DB as well as most others.

Again IMO, that would be the ideal place to put these.



rdouglass -> RE: "build a knowledge base" with frontpage (12/28/2006 14:02:55)

quote:

3. I would like to auto increment the KB number articles but there is not a easy way to do this that I can tell. Do any of you have a simple suggestion?


As to that question, a DB is again my suggestion. Most DB's allow you to look at newly created record ID's and it is a fairly simple excersize to generate a pseudo-sequential number from that. But that is specific to each DB.



Walls -> RE: "build a knowledge base" with frontpage (12/28/2006 14:09:41)

I finally get the message that the DB is the way to go. Thanks!

In the mid 90's the goverment passed a law that all banks should provide ADA facilities to their customers. With this in mind and a right to customer privacy the bank's had to provide a way to walk a customer to an ATM and the customer input their own PIN number with out the assistance of the bank employee who walked them to the ATM. Diebold got to the point that they would not supply anything but a braille keypad and etc. I have yet to see a blind person use an ATM in 16 years of being around banking.



rdouglass -> RE: "build a knowledge base" with frontpage (12/28/2006 14:22:03)

quote:

In the mid 90's the goverment passed a law that all banks should provide ADA facilities to their customers. With this in mind and a right to customer privacy the bank's had to provide a way to walk a customer to an ATM and the customer input their own PIN number with out the assistance of the bank employee who walked them to the ATM. Diebold got to the point that they would not supply anything but a braille keypad and etc. I have yet to see a blind person use an ATM in 16 years of being around banking.


You answered my sig question. [;)] The irony is that they put them in drive-thru's. [:D]



Walls -> RE: "build a knowledge base" with frontpage (12/28/2006 14:25:05)

I agree 100%, it's stupidity at its finest.



jeepless -> RE: "build a knowledge base" with frontpage (12/29/2006 9:15:41)

Stupidity? Not really if you consider that many blind people use taxis to get around town. A braille-equipped keypad in a drive-thru allows them to make ATM transactions from the back seat in relative privacy and safety. And yes it is commonly done by the blind.

Also, Diebold decided to produce only one version of their ATM keypad for reasons of economics. It was much cheaper to manufacture only one keypad for all ATM installations than to produce two different versions (braille and non-braille keypads).

And finally, the ADA simply does not allow manufacturers or businesses to make exceptions when it comes to "equal access" for the handicapped. Virtually everything that the non-handicapped can use must also be made fully accessible to the handicapped. There are exceptions to this rule, but the manufacturer or business would have to show that such an accommodation is an "economic hardship" for them. I doubt that case could be made for an ATM keypad regardless of where it's used.

If there's any stupidity, it's in a federal regulation that creates an all-or-nothing situation for businesses with no opportunity to use common-sense in applying the law. The ADA is filled with exactly this scenario.



rdouglass -> RE: "build a knowledge base" with frontpage (12/29/2006 9:27:15)

quote:

A braille-equipped keypad in a drive-thru allows them to make ATM transactions from the back seat in relative privacy and safety. And yes it is commonly done by the blind.


Something I had not considered at all. That is very much a valid and sensible reason for it. I guess that's just my own narrow viewpoint on things.

Now I need to change my sig 'cause now I know the answer. What should my new one be?

"Why is the Hot faucet always on the left?" [:D]



womble -> RE: "build a knowledge base" with frontpage (12/29/2006 9:36:10)

Not a silly question at all Rodger, and now you know the answer. [;)]

Now this one is a silly question...Years back when I took my driving test I remember asking my instructor before the test why when you filled in the application form, why if it said to tick the box if you needed a sign language interpreter for the test, why they didn't also do the form in braille....the instructor looked at me like I'd finally lost all my marbles....[:-]



rdouglass -> RE: "build a knowledge base" with frontpage (12/29/2006 9:38:33)

[sm=rofl6.gif]

Did you pass the test?



Tailslide -> RE: "build a knowledge base" with frontpage (12/29/2006 9:38:55)

quote:

ORIGINAL: rdouglass
"Why is the Hot faucet always on the left?" [:D]


Not in my house (previous owners had some "interesting" ideas about plumbing and electrics!). Some sinks in the house have the hot tap on the left, some on the right - or maybe I'm just easily confused.




womble -> RE: "build a knowledge base" with frontpage (12/29/2006 9:57:04)


quote:

ORIGINAL: rdouglass

[sm=rofl6.gif]

Did you pass the test?

Funnily enough, no I didn't that time! [:D]



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