Printed user manuals?
Printed user manuals?
(OP)
Are printed user manuals really a thing of the past?
We gave up printing manuals for our software several years ago and now the amount of help material we have is simply too big to contemplate printing it off. Besides, it's no longer in a form that facilitates printing (linked HTML pages).
I was wondering what the general consensus is here. Are paper manuals necessary? Do people really take them home to read in bed?
We gave up printing manuals for our software several years ago and now the amount of help material we have is simply too big to contemplate printing it off. Besides, it's no longer in a form that facilitates printing (linked HTML pages).
I was wondering what the general consensus is here. Are paper manuals necessary? Do people really take them home to read in bed?
- Steve






RE: Printed user manuals?
There are packages out there, such as Help & Manual, that will produce help files and printable copy from the same source. But at the very most I would include a PDF file - never a physical printed book.
I have had requests from buyers insisting on a physical manual because of some internal policy of their organizations. I quote them an extra price, print out the PDF for them, and ship it. But that is very much the exception.
Katmar Software
Engineering & Risk Analysis Software
http://katmarsoftware.com
RE: Printed user manuals?
I just got one with a VFD. It's about 2"x2.7" and was obviously reduced down from 8"x11". I can almost make out most of it with magnifying glasses.
Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: Printed user manuals?
Cheers
Greg Locock
SIG:Please see FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: Printed user manuals?
RE: Printed user manuals?
Certain customers really want the hard copies.
I think part of this is cultural. Also we are selling systems with a significant software content, not software as such.
Also we haven't helped our case becuase our cunning 'paperless' plan is just to PDF the existing manuals and throw them on a CD
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Printed user manuals?
what i personally like to do is print out part of the manual referring to a particular problem - reading the instructions in print usually is far more convenient then reading them on screen. at the same time i use the screen version to copy text that has to be entered somewhere onscreen to avoid typos.
i can quite live with that solution - as long as the manual is written in some acceptable form and has a search function that makes it possible to look up specific information.
unfortunately a lot of manuals fail in those asspects. the worst thing to come across is a manual thas has been translated from another language by someone who perhaps understood something of both languages involved, but nothing from the apparatus the manual concerned itself with. especially when specialized techtalk has to be translated it helps a lot to be able to understand the language the original manual was written in - it can explain a lot of the quirks you come across.
in my view not the withdrawal of a printed version is the problem, but the decline of verbal skills to explain complicated subjects in understandable form and the lack of time to do that well is the problem with manuals these days.
and yes, Microsoft sets an example there - it is no coincidence that a lot of books are written about how to use their applications.
RE: Printed user manuals?
RE: Printed user manuals?
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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!
RE: Printed user manuals?
Don't depend on a website link because those disappear or change.
Personally I like to have a printed version in my hand so I can mark it up or flag pages.
RE: Printed user manuals?
RE: Printed user manuals?
It is linked HTML pages as a help file but it is possible to merge them into a properly formatted printed manual with a little bit of VB programming effort and MS Word.
RE: Printed user manuals?
Most of our requests (demands??) come from Japan/Korea/China. Maybe it's a language thing. Maybe these guys like to write things in the margins in their own languages. The counter to this is that we don't get the same from the Europeans.
- Steve
RE: Printed user manuals?
Katmar Software
Engineering & Risk Analysis Software
http://katmarsoftware.com
RE: Printed user manuals?
I can't say I know why but our marketing/sales say they still want hard copies. We're considering charging extra for them.
KENAT,
Have you reminded yourself of FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies recently, or taken a look at http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?