Hi All,
As you will have noticed, I've been busy with other obligations
recently. I expect to have some time for WSJT-related matters in the
next few weeks, so I'm trying to get plugged in once more.
Many thanks to Chase, W4TI, for all the effort put into the WSJT-X Users
Guide for v1.4. As you will see in the latest commit, r4210, I have
been editing the early part of the Guide -- the present Sections 1-4 --
and have changed things quite a bit. I want to give you some feeling
for my underlying rationale for these changes.
1. To be most useful to the largest possible number of users, including
those whose first language is not English, I think the User Guide should
adopt a rather terse style: Do this, Do that, etc.
2. We should be uniform about "voice" and who we're talking to. Write
"You can set *Parameter X*" or simply "Set *Parameter X*", rather than
"*Parameter X* can be set by the user."
3. Use of colors, special fonts, etc., should be uniform. I've tried to
be consistent in using adoc formatting commands like *Bold Blue* for the
names of on-screen controls or parameters, and _italics_ for the
identifying names of groups of controls on our GUI. See, in particular,
the new Section 4 for many examples.
4. Early parts of the Users Guide should be short and sweet: enough
information for reasonably adept users to get started, but not a lot of
extra descriptive material about "why", or special cases.
5. Detailed descriptions of some options -- especially those whose
functions will be obvious to experienced users -- should be moved to a
section of their own. In r4210 I've made a dummy Section 9,
"Configuration Details", that might serve.
6. Special cases, "gotchas", etc., should be dealt with either in
"Configuration Details" or in "Frequently Asked Questions".
7. This Guide should be for v1.4. In general I see no need for
references to earlier versions.
8. I will move on soon to Transceiver Setup and following sections.
Like the other early sections, I think this one should be short and
sweet. But even within that constraint, the present text can surely be
improved. We can also add extra help in the FAQ section.
9. We should make specific reference to the very useful (but Windows
only) companion program, JT-Alert.
Comments on any or all of the above will be welcome!
-- 73, Joe, K1JT
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