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Manuals for Dummies

 Sell software through the back flap of a book
 
(+1, -1) 		  [vote for,
against]

My momma always said that you should do what you do best, and let someone else do the rest. It's pretty obvious that software makers make good products, but horrible manuals. Why should a consumer be forced to buy a cd, a manual, AND a "how-to" book?

The idea is for software companies to license their software to publishers of "how-to" books. Those publishing companies could then include the full version of the program their writing about on the back flap.

This would free the consumer from collecting multiple sets of manuals and let the software makers focus on producing non-buggy programs.

—love9444, Jul 29 2001

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       My ol' pappy used to say, "Never buy anything that says 'For Dummies' on it...no matter how much you need it."
—The Military, Jul 29 2001
   

       um. this idea seems kind of ranty-- That aside the reason there are so many how-to books is because people have different learning styles. I like the O'Rielly books (they also write about software that you don't buy ...) other people like the Dummies books or the idiots books-- each shows you how to use the software in a way that address the user's need. Software companies can't make a book that does everything.
—futurebird, Jul 29 2001
   

       It might be more useful if "Manuals for Dummies" were a short work explaining the use of user manuals in simple terms. I don't know what proportion of support calls are for things explained in the manuals and documentation, but I'll guess that it's high.
—Monkfish, Jul 30 2001
   

       Thanks greatly to many years of manning 'ye ol' support desk,' I've long since come to the conclusion that this is not a concern. Nobody actually reads the manuals supplied with software.   

       WWJD? JWRTFM! Push the button Frank.
—Reverend D, Jul 31 2001
   


 

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