Hello MAU, On 13 February 2008 at 11:22:06GMT +0100 (which was 10:22 where I live) - you wrote and made these points on the subject of - TB Wiki: <mid:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Yesterday I couldn't help it replying referring to the RTFM acronym :) > > Everybody will agree that TB's Help needs improvement but, believe me, > it was much worse some years ago. TB's Help has improved quite a bit > but, like in many other software, "it is always behind". > We may agree or not if what the first thing a potential new user does is > to look at Help, what I am sure they do first is look at menus and, if > they do this, I agree that when seeing so many options some (perhaps > many) may think TB is a "too complex" program. That is why over 2 years > ago I suggested the option of Basic/Full menus, being the Basic the > default. See https://www.ritlabs.com/bt/view.php?id=5476 I had to smile when I saw your RTFM remark as it is one used so much by support staff (in the old days that is). A lot of support staff now, from call centres, are totally dumb about the product and at best read useless statements. I do agree, and you are right, the ideal is to have intuitive programs where the help files are not needed. I recall the days on mainframes when help files were a library of manuals and very well composed. The plain fact is that we all try to get a program doing what we want and only refer to help files when it doesn't work as expected. In the case of technical and complex products, and TB is in that category, the ideal is for a basic version to be working with little need for help documentation but as the new user starts to get confident they want it to do more and then the help files are an absolute necessity. MS have done quite well on the intuitive front with the introduction of windows (and at a massive performance cost) but their help files are imo less than helpful despite them trying to anticipate your needs and then follow up with a closing statement - did this answer your query? NO but in that case go away. The problem with help systems is that they are written and designed by technicians who notoriously are bad at explaining the basics and jump in at the deep end. TB needs a little more 'help' design aimed at the new user and then the user who want's to exploit the special features, go the next step. This is what 'binds' customers to a product. So often I find that people who 'talk' technical often have a very crude understanding of what they say yet bombard the user with acronyms and buzz words. Because of my computer background I have a desire to understand things and like to start at the beginning (programming is not forgiving when it comes to guessing). Thanks anyway for your thoughts. Just a follow up on the spelling thing - I now have Hunspell fully working and can add new words to a personal dictionary but what a painful way it is to do this! All I want is if a word is new then press add to dictionary and it's done. If I later want to edit it then OK that needs a user interface. Also, I see yet another respondent reporting the same problem I experience with SSCE in this forum. I don't think my system is the problem but it is a bug that only affects certain set-ups. Spelling is also a new users most important feature and bugs in this area are not just major they are much higher than that but perhaps not so interesting to the development team who are interfacing with a plug-in. Best regards, Graham -- Graham Howe mail mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Using The Bat! 4.0.14 on windows version 5.1 Build 2600 Service Pack 2 ________________________________________________________ Current beta is 4.0.14.0 | 'Using TBBETA' information: http://www.silverstones.com/thebat/TBUDLInfo.html
