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Groups > comp.sys.mac.system > #79551

Re: new iMac

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In article <msdodi$jai$1@news.albasani.net>, Ken Springer
<wordworks@greeleynet.com> wrote:
> On 9/4/15 6:19 PM, Your Name wrote:
> > In article <msd8ot$3ku$1@news.albasani.net>, Ken Springer
> > <wordworks@greeleynet.com> wrote:
> >> On 9/4/15 4:53 PM, Alan Browne wrote:
> >>> On 2015-09-04 18:45, Invid Fan wrote:
> >>>> In article <0PWdnQqxpe1gF3TInZ2dnUU7-VWdnZ2d@giganews.com>, Alan Browne
> >>>> <alan.browne@freelunchvideotron.ca> wrote:
> >>>>> On 2015-09-04 05:42, Frank wrote:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> do new iMacs ship with user guide or manual?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Waste of paper.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> There is a get going guide.  OTOH, turn it on, enter (or not) the info
> >>>>> it asks for and get whatever you need from the Apple site or many
> >>>>> others.
> >>>>
> >>>> The only problem is if you're having trouble getting online. Having
> >>>> most of the Help info actually on the computer instead of online would
> >>>> be useful. There's no reason iBooks couldn't come with the correct
> >>>> manual pre-installed.
> >>>
> >>> Can't disagree with you.  OTOH, in a few decades of setting up new
> >>> computers I've never needed a guide in getting a computer online
> >>> (Windows, Mac, Linux, Solaris) within minutes of installing the basic
> >>> OS.  That includes a very nasty period for Windows+Modems and ISP's that
> >>> had no notion that users might need some guidance.
> >>
> >> The most negatively affected are the brand new user, not the experienced
> >> user.  When online help first appeared in Windows, I think it was
> >> Windows for Workgroups or somewhere in that era, a friend commented
> >> "What good is online help if you can't get online?"
> >>
> >> At least with a book, you can thumb through the pages and maybe see an
> >> image, or catch a snippet of text, that may stop you and you may have
> >> found your answer.
> >
> > In these days of constant updating, printed books quickly become out of
> > date.
> 
> That they do.  On the plus side, you can write your own customized notes 
> in the margins.

You can still do that on a iPad / computer with a good PDF reader
application.  :-)




> > Even including the latest manual as an ebook is difficult with the
> > ever-changing storage media options. A printer maker, for example,
> > would find it impossible include a digital manual on storage media for
> > every possible device user.
> 
> A printer or peripheral is one step down the line than what concerns me. 
>   It's at least being able to get new users started that bothers me. 
> With total lack of information to the beginner, it's no wonder that 
> things get fouled up, the computer trashed.  (Hopefully not physically 
> from being bashed by a hammer.  LOL)
> 
> Updating any printed matter/book is difficult, no argument there.  But 
> it can be made easier with a better numbering scheme than you usually 
> see.  Instead of using the usual numbering scheme, 1-500 say, number 
> each chapter separately, 1-1,1-2,1-3..., 2-1,2-2,2-3, etc.  Depending on 
> the extent of the changes, you could get away with replacing a whole 
> chapter and not mess up any TOC and Index.

It's not really the page numbering, but simply having too many leftover
out-dated copies, wasting money (and paper). That could be somewhat
easily solved by using a laser printer / copier to print manuals almost
on-demand, but ring-binders are seen as less professional.

The real issue though is simply the fact that very few users ever
bother to read the manuals. Even when having problems, most manuals are
written by techno-geeks, so novice users simply don't understand them.

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new iMac Frank <gno52@windstream.net> - 2015-09-04 02:42 -0700
  Re: new iMac Me, myself and I <baiheli.pip.li@xs4all.nl> - 2015-09-04 11:43 +0200
    Re: new iMac Frank <gno52@windstream.net> - 2015-09-04 04:19 -0700
      Re: new iMac Frank <gno52@windstream.net> - 2015-09-04 04:21 -0700
        Re: new iMac dmoorman <dmoorman4@comcast.net> - 2015-09-04 23:29 -0500
          Re: new iMac Frank <gno52@windstream.net> - 2015-09-07 02:16 -0700
            Re: new iMac Alan Browne <alan.browne@freelunchvideotron.ca> - 2015-09-07 10:00 -0400
            Re: new iMac Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-09-08 08:48 +1200
  Re: new iMac Alan Browne <alan.browne@freelunchvideotron.ca> - 2015-09-04 08:13 -0400
    Re: new iMac Invid Fan <invid@loclanet.com> - 2015-09-04 18:45 -0400
      Re: new iMac Alan Browne <alan.browne@freelunchvideotron.ca> - 2015-09-04 18:53 -0400
        Re: new iMac Ken Springer <wordworks@greeleynet.com> - 2015-09-04 17:16 -0600
          Re: new iMac Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-09-05 12:19 +1200
            Re: new iMac Ken Springer <wordworks@greeleynet.com> - 2015-09-04 21:43 -0600
              Re: new iMac nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2015-09-04 23:50 -0400
                Re: new iMac Ken Springer <wordworks@greeleynet.com> - 2015-09-06 09:50 -0600
                Re: new iMac nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2015-09-06 12:34 -0400
                Re: new iMac Ken Springer <wordworks@greeleynet.com> - 2015-09-06 11:12 -0600
                Re: new iMac nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2015-09-06 14:34 -0400
                Re: new iMac Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2015-09-06 18:54 +0000
                Re: new iMac Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2015-09-06 21:24 +0000
                Re: new iMac Michelle Steiner <michelle@michelle.org> - 2015-09-06 20:26 -0700
                Re: new iMac Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2015-09-06 21:22 +0000
                Re: new iMac Michelle Steiner <michelle@michelle.org> - 2015-09-06 20:26 -0700
              Re: new iMac Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-09-05 16:24 +1200
                Re: new iMac Ken Springer <wordworks@greeleynet.com> - 2015-09-06 09:46 -0600
                Re: new iMac Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-09-07 09:09 +1200
          Re: new iMac Alan Browne <alan.browne@freelunchvideotron.ca> - 2015-09-05 09:39 -0400
            Re: new iMac Ken Springer <wordworks@greeleynet.com> - 2015-09-06 09:54 -0600
              Re: new iMac Alan Browne <alan.browne@freelunchvideotron.ca> - 2015-09-06 12:10 -0400
                Re: new iMac Ken Springer <wordworks@greeleynet.com> - 2015-09-06 11:22 -0600
                Re: new iMac Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-09-07 09:21 +1200
              Re: new iMac Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2015-09-07 09:15 +1200
  Re: new iMac Jolly Roger <jollyroger@pobox.com> - 2015-09-04 15:00 +0000
    Re: new iMac Calum <com.gmail@nospam.scottishwildcat> - 2015-09-04 20:45 +0100
      Re: new iMac Frank <gno52@windstream.net> - 2015-09-06 03:57 -0700

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