Also, when I read the help in a previous age I found those particular points to be implied within the other rules and the examples provided.

I think that if somebody wants to expand the help they should also write up some more 'advanced' ideas. Like stalemate lines, DMZs, NAPs and some of the more notorious openings.

The site assumes you know the base rules of the game - try here for more data:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Diplomacy

I agree with Lizard. I still an unable to find what the various symbols used on this site actually stand for, such as the dot by a countries name tab. I will admit, i may have just missed it.

I think the help page should have a link to the WotC/AH official rules pdf with a brief statement of any variance between them and the rules here.

I think these to links should be in the help section as recommended reading. I often email them to "newbie" players. They happen to have been written by EdiBirsan, but I was using the articles to help teach other players prior to my joining of this site.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/article/ah20080312

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/article/ah20080423

I really like Edi Birsan's articles - thanks for linking them.

Perhaps a further introduction should be created a "Playing Diplomacy" page to be read after "Intro to Diplomacy". One that gives more general tactics with sample dialogues. I think that if a newbie does read through that they wouldn't believe that two units could be in the same territory and that territories aren't owned until year's end.

It may also cause newer players to give greater respect to negotiation. What are other people's opinions?

The help is really more of a crash course than anything. I expect that people who would read it would still have to do some learning in-game, but no-one is going to learn an exhaustive list of rules before playing

Here's a silly question: Since we don't need programming skills to update a FAQ; is that something someone can reasonably help you with, Kestas?

Absolutely.

How would one go about doing so?

I agree, the help section could certainly be improved, but I also agree it shouldn't be exhaustive. Mostly I think it would be helpful if it had just a bit more depth on the rules, and then perhaps a bit more info on the specific mechanics of using this site. Like screen shots showing how you enter moves, explanations of the various symbols (I see questions from newbies about the "D in a circle" all the time.). Some more explicit info on how you go about creating games, the fact that you do not get to choose powers beforehand etc, would have also been helpful when I first started. It's all stuff I figured out without too much trouble, but it would save people some time and stress, and some forum posts, if some more of the mechanics of the site itself were more explicitly and clearly laid out. Some expansion of the rules section could be good too I did screw up in my first game here by not realizing that you couldn't simply move through a territory and capture it, but instead had to hold it at the end of the year. (I shouldn't have made that mistake, but this was the first game I'd played of Diplomacy of any kind in about 4 or 5 years, and before that had only played a few times).

I'd be happy to help out with improving the help files. Not by altering the one we currently have, but by adding another section, perhaps titled something like "Advanced" something or other. Currently, I think the help files are enough to get started, and I find you learn very quickly in game. Since your first few games are basically free, then it's an excellent way to learn practically.

The Help should mainly explain site specific. Like
A -the dot by the country name.
B -What commands can used (/draw, /unpause etc.)
c- How to contact administrators
d - links to everything else.

The best Diplomacy site I know is "The diplomacy Pouch" at
http://www.diplom.org

This was not meant as a complete list.