From: crystal@glia.biostr.washington.edu (Crystal)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: Re: Commodity question
Date: 7 Jan 93 20:11:58 GMT
Organization: University of Washington
NNTP-Posting-Host: glia.biostr.washington.edu

In <wanderer.03pd@tcsi.appleton.mil.wi.us> wanderer@tcsi.appleton.mil.wi.us (K.T. Wieringa) writes:

>Ross Hippely - Manuals (ross@cbmvax.commodore.com) wrote:
>: In article <wanderer.03nq@tcsi.appleton.mil.wi.us> wanderer@tcsi.appleton.mil.wi.us (K.T. Wieringa) writes:
>: >I upgraded to 2.04 not long ago and have been wading through various parts
>: >of the new manual.  I think the index really bites.  This morning I was
>: >looking for Enforcer information (the requestor asks for command line
>: >arguments).  
>: 
>: What requester are you referring to?  

>It was an "execute file" requestor that I got when I double clicked the
>Enforcer Icon.  I found that it would launch ok if I just selected "ok" on
>the requestor.  I was wondering if there were any command line options for
>it.

>Another person mailed me saying that enforcer wasn't part of the OS
>distribution.  It seems to have come with mine; both on the hard drive
>(sys:tools) and on the install3000 disk.  I was wondering if there was 
>any documentation included.  I haven't found any.

>: >Still haven't found it in the big book 
>: 
>: And could you refresh my memory on where in _Using the System Software_ 
>: (not a new manual, by the way) Enforcer is mentioned?  

>I think that was my point.  It's part of the OS disk distribution, but the
>documentation isn't?

>: >great detail explaining such weighty topics like using window gadgets,
>: >double clicking, etc).  
>: 
>: Yes, well, we believe that new users find such information helpful.

>point taken.  I apologize.  As far as detailed constructive criticism goes,

> -  I'd find it real helpful if there was some kind of appendix or 
>    supplement available which covered, or at least cross referenced, 
>    upgrading from one OS to another.  Something for those of us who know
>    the basics but would like to more easily parse the differences without
>    having to wade through the simple stuff all over again.

> -  The Index could use some work (in my opinion). The problem here was with
>    Mountlist.  The one "mountlist" entry I did find sent me to to an
>    obscure reference in the chapter on ED.  I didn't find any details on 
>    how this was different from 1.3.  I know it didn't read the mountlist 
>    in devs:, but I did get it to work (adding extra hard disks) alright 
>    with your handy gui harddisk util.  I still haven't found out where the
>    mountlist entry ended up.

> -  some of the requestors in the diagrams differ quite a bit in available
>    options from the ones on my screen (prefs/screenmode and prefs/overscan
>    are two that come to mind).

> -  how often do you really send out upgrades for this manual?  I know I
>    never got any for 1.2 or 1.3.  i.e. is the looseleaf format really 
>    necessary?  It doesn't seem near as durable as a bound manual.  You
>    gotta remember some of us cheap bastards want to be able to use these 
>    things for a few years.

>: Indeed.  I'm not trying to mount a great defense of _USS_, but rather to
>: point out two things: 1) We recently have been spending a great deal of time 
>: and effort addressing such shortcomings in our documentation, effort that 
>: addresses many of the problems such as you mention.  I'd much prefer to be 
>: judged on the basis of the current (and upcoming) books.

>And we can be such picky SOB's  :-). 

>I try to avoid judging on the basis of things that aren't yet available.

>I appreciate the effort, and the response.

>: Ross Hippely:                                               Technical Writer
>: employed by, not speaking for:              Commodore Business Machines Inc.

> | K.T. Wieringa              UUCP: toddw@tcsi.appleton.mil.wi.us |
> | Shawano, Wisconsin, USA    Fido: K.T. Wieringa @ 1:238/105.3   |


I found Enforcer on my HD, and I *know* I didn't put it there, and I couldn't
find a reference in the 2.04 manual for it, so I got bugged enough to run a
VIRUS CHECKER on the mysterious thing.  It was clean...but *geez* if a program
is considered important enough to put in with the system software, at least
DOCUMENT it!

And I have yet to find any reference to the RAD: that people have mentioned.
It is obviously something with the 2.04 system, yet the 2.04 manual index does
not show it.
 
So, how can one RTFM if the d*mn thing is so F'n LOUSY to begin with??  Most
beginners have ONLY that manual to rely on.  Not everyone has access to the
Internet, nor do they even have modems.

The docs can make or break a program (or a company)...                    

BTW, did anyone notice that the docs for PageLiner (which has a spellchecker)
contains a MISSPELLED WORD in the section that describes HOW TO USE THE 
SPELLCHECKER?!?  (I'm NOT referring to the example misspelled word, either!)

There was also another misspelled word a page or two prior to that one...

Makes one think twice about a purchase....

The docs can make or break a program (or a company)...                    


Crystal
  :>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc