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From: grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Amiga Manuals
Message-ID: <2422@cbmvax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 29-Sep-87 03:21:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: cbmvax.2422
Posted: Tue Sep 29 03:21:42 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 1-Oct-87 02:50:33 EDT
References: <126@otl.SanDiego.NCR.COM>
Reply-To: grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins)
Organization: Commodore Technology, West Chester, PA
Lines: 36
Keywords: What manuals?

In article <126@otl.SanDiego.NCR.COM> geoffk@otl.SanDiego.NCR.COM (Geoffrey Kim) writes:
> 
> When I got my A500 about three months ago, I pretty disappointed 
> with the manual provided with the computer.  I mean, here is a 
> computer that geared (=priced) for the masses (=first time computer
> user), but yet provides little or no information about how to
> get started.  The manual provides two ends of the spectrum, it 
> describes the usual stuff about what the keyboard is, how to
> insert disks, care and feeding of disks, (you know, real "low level"
> stuff which comes right after "Congratulations  on you purchase of..."
> ;-)) and then gives you the schematics, pin-outs of connectors and
> custom chips.  Come on, Commodore!  I think first time users are
> going to have a heck of a time trying to get started without step
> by step instructions on what to do.

The user's manual is always a bit of a problem.  A real Amiga manual would
be maybe a foot thick - people would think they are buying one of those
unabridged dictionaries with the computer thrown in for free!  8-)

The general idea is to put enough information in the manual for the customer,
who may or may not be computer literate, to get some kind of action out of
his purchase and to give an overview of the things it can do.  A secondary
purpose is to include reference material specific to this machine that may
not appear in more generic texts.  The general user may never need this stuff,
but when the time comes to make up a cable or when the user is curious about
what's inside or how it works, some information is there.

Once you get beyond this stage, you need to hit the bookstore and get some
more information, either the manuals written by Commdore or the more recent
independent references.


-- 
George Robbins - now working for,	uucp: {ihnp4|rutgers|allegra}!cbmvax!grr
but no way officially representing	arpa: out to lunch...
Commodore, Engineering Department	fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)