This is one post I strongly agree with. Perhaps Howard should be brought into the discussion on how to help finance a new book. Perhaps a guaranteed number of sales or whatever.
PS - The many many good ideas raise hope that this time a solution will indeed be found. lou howard ===================================================== ----- Original Message ----- From: "sidhartha70" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2008 2:57 AM Subject: [amibroker] Re: Help Manual > Brian is right that the Help manual is incomplete and inadequate. > > I don't buy the argument that "we shouldn't expect it to be complete > because AmiBroker is cheap". > > I know it's just TJ and Marcin, but that's TJ's choice. I've stated > before, and I'll state again, I would happily pay $500 for AmiBroker > IF it had great on-line help manuals. IF it had something along the > lines of a decent beginners, intermediate and advanced users guide. > And I'm sure new incremental users would come on board as AmiBroker > becomes more 'accessbile' to the masses. > > I took the plunge with AmiBroker, and there is absolutely no doubting > it's a fine product. > > The users of AmiBroker deserve to get the same support as they would > if they chose to purchase one of the C# based alternatives - namely > Ninja, RightEdge or OpenQuant etc. IF they have to pay more for that > support, then so be it... TJ can hire someone to work solely on new > user guides for the next 6 months. Shouldn't cost too much. > > Let's pretend that Howard produces a 'beginners' book for AmiBroker, > then another one for more advanced users, say focusing on the custom > backtester... suddenly we've got three books for AmiBroker coming in > at $50 each... that's $150. > > Personally I'd be happy with either solution. A Howard provided > alternative that costs $150, or an in-house AmiBRoker one that adds > $150 to AB price. > > But let's at least have one of the two alternatives. > > > --- In [email protected], "Steve Dugas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> Jeez Brian, even TJ admits that everything is not perfect, but there > are >> only 24 hours in a day and how much harder do you think he can work? > He is >> human like the rest of us, if you spot an error or ommision, just > report it >> so he can fix it. >> >> Steve >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "brian_z111" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: <[email protected]> >> Sent: Friday, August 29, 2008 7:08 PM >> Subject: [amibroker] Help Manual >> >> >> > >> > There are far too many Help Manual questions posted in this forum. >> > >> > This takes up our valueable time answering questions that should have >> > been answered by AmiBroker. >> > >> > In fact they waste far more time than OT posts. >> > >> > Our precious time would be far better spent answering more interesting >> > questions. >> > >> > Some of the features in AB aren't explained in the manual, some things >> > are out of date and sometimes the explanations are a bit cryptic. >> > >> > Example: >> > >> > Prettify was added to the Formula Editor in beta version 5.04 >> > - included in devlog under version 5.05 Feb08 >> > - official release v5.10 in June08 which includes manual 5.10 >> > >> > Ami website PDF manual is still version 5.00 >> > >> > - Search PDF for prettify == nothing >> > - Search AB manual version 5.1 for prettify == nothing >> > - Use AB site search engine == nothing >> > - Google amibroker.com == 3 hits from devlog >> > - devlog records release but has no info about it and no > explanation in >> > the read me >> > - searched KB == nothing >> > - searched UKB == nothing >> > >> > The screenshot of the FE edit dropdown menu, in the Help Manual is out >> > of date (at least it looks different to my version 5.10) >> > >> > http://www.amibroker.com/guide/w_afledit.html >> > >> > The Devlog just says that the Prettify function was added ... > looked in >> > the AFL function list and couldn't find anything... is it a > function or >> > a function()? >> > >> > New features should be explained in the official help manual that > comes >> > out immediately after the beta inclusion. >> > We should not have to search elsewhere but even if we do we, in this >> > case, we still find nothing. >> > >> > It shouldn't be up to volunteers to explain help manual items in this >> > forum, or the UKB, or anywhere else. >> > >> > It saves AB some effort if they don't have to keep the manual up to >> > date but the effort is transferred to the volunteers, who have to >> > answer it scores of times, instead of AB answering it once. >> > >> > If we all took the rationalist approach, that some people are >> > advocating e.g. "users should have skills or lower their sights or pay >> > Graham", and charged AB for the time we spend providing AB support > then >> > the program would cost thousands of dollars and wouldn't look so > cheap, >> > up against other software, afterall >> > >> > brian_z >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > ------------------------------------ >> > >> > Please note that this group is for discussion between users only. >> > >> > To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly to >> > SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com >> > >> > For NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always check DEVLOG: >> > http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/ >> > >> > For other support material please check also: >> > http://www.amibroker.com/support.html >> > Yahoo! Groups Links >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Please note that this group is for discussion between users only. > > To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly to > SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com > > For NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always check DEVLOG: > http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/ > > For other support material please check also: > http://www.amibroker.com/support.html > Yahoo! Groups Links > > >
