On 2020-08-05 03:06:-0700, RICHARD Martin wrote: >A how to video would be a very nice feature, but we must remember the cost >of developing such a thing when our friends at Elecraft have to be in >desperate need of cash. >... >Thru most of my professional life, I have been responsible for the >conception, prototyping, and manufacture of large scientific instruments >($100K to $5M). The cost of the manuals/documentation was typically equal >to the development cost of the product. > >Dick KN6AA
I am interested in the KX2, so I am gathering info on the product line to see if that is what I want to buy. I skimmed the KX2 vid, and found that it was not very useful. It was large a sales pitch. I have been involved with the dev of user manuals and operating procedures of complicated equipment, from stuff on the order of HP 15C calculators to 1100 MW generators. The cost to produce manuals has dropped significantly since 1980, largely due to the drop in cost of typesetting. Ironically, I opine, the quality has declined. Companies no longer invest in producing good manuals and training material, as a result, I see most often that the mfg directs questions to user fora. The downside to this is obvious. New users, not knowing what to ask or how to phrase a question, flounder around wasting a tremendous number of person-hours. I offered to help develop some docs for a few popular products, and was told by the developers/companies to simply start using the products, learn them well, and then produce those docs.They would be much appreciated!!! I declined. I don't have the time to waste learning the products using "seek and find" techniques. The cost of an HP-14C in 2020 USD was prolly on the order of $250. I'll bet the manual cost $10K to develop, independent of typesetting. But that cost was offset to some degree by the cost of the 15C and the number of them sold. Elecraft could easily pay attention to these fora, and regularly upgrade the manuals by posting new PDFs. I recently asked Elecraft a technical question that is not addressed in the manuals or on the web, and after 2 passes got a very nice succinct, clear, and complete answer. (Note that it took TWO cycles of emails to get that answer.) I immediately replied with thanks, and a recommendation that they add those comments to the web...and possibly manuals. I don't need a printed manual with my device. I think that they can look nice and be useful, though. I do appreciate a PDF that is not write protected, so that I can make my own notes and correct mistakes. I also appreciate a manual that is updated regularly. I don't like trolling lists and doing web searches, just to get vital information, and it is not a good use of employee time to be answering such questions repeatedly. I simply save each PDF version with all its notes, and then I can look in each version that I have. I think that well-produced videos, which abound on the web along with not-so-good vids, are very useful. I have seen a remark to the effect that someone was familiar with a different model of a radio, and when the newer one came out they were up and running in short order. But for someone not familiar with the product line, or perhaps not even familiar with radios in general, as a new ham, real howto vids can be most useful, I opine. I have been using Canon cameras for many years. I wanted a new point and shoot. So after reading reviews on various cameras (I am not especially brand-loyal) I decided to get a Canon. I had seen comments about how complicated it is for a PaS. I agree. But I found myself on familiar ground because of my years of experience w other Canons, so I was soon up and running. The other comments about it being complicated are valid, especially for one not already familiar with bigger Canon cameras. ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
