Collaborative document mechanics and controls

Hackmd or HedgeDoc are real-time text editor online. We use it to:

  • As a threaded chat, to answer questions and provide other information without interrupting the main flow of the room.

  • provide everyone with a more equal opportunity to ask questions.

  • create notes which will be archived, for your later reference.

You do not need to login/create an account to be able to edit the document.

Basic controls

../_images/hackmd--controls.png

This may look slightly different on mobile devices and small windows.

  • At the top (left or right), you can switch between view, edit, and split view and edit modes.

  • You write in markdown here. Don’t worry about the syntax, just see what others do and try to be like that! Someone will come and fix any problems there may be.

  • Please go back to view mode if you think you won’t edit for a while - it will still live update.

Asking questions

Always ask questions and add new sections at the very bottom. You can also answer and comment on older questions, too.

../_images/hackmd--questions2.png

Questions and answers in bullet points

Since we plan to publish the questions and answers later as part of the workshop page, we recommend to not use any names. You can indicate your own name to make it easier to discuss more during the workshop but then always use this form: [name=Myname]. This makes it easier for us to automatically remove all names before publishing the notes.

Other hints:

  • Use +1 to agree with a statement or question (we are more likely to comment on it).

  • Please leave some blank lines at the bottom

  • NOTE: Please don’t “select all”, it highlights for everyone and adds a risk of losing data (there are periodic backups, but not instant).

  • It can be quite demanding to follow the collaborative document closely. Keep an eye on it, but consider how distracted you may get from the course. For things beyond the scope of the course, we may come back and answer later.

Don’t get overwhelmed

There can be a flood of information on the collaborative document. Scan for what is important, then if you would like come back later. But it is important to keep checking it.

Privacy

  • Assume the collaborative document is public and published: you never need to put your name there.

  • The collaborative document will be published on the website afterwards. We will remove all non-instructors names, but it’s easier if you don’t add it there in the first place.

  • Please keep the link private during the workshop, since since security is “editable by those who have the link”.

  • You can use [name=YOURNAME], to name yourself. We will remove all names (but not the comments) before archiving the notes (use this format to make it easy for us).