Linked by Fred McCann on Wed 25th Aug 2004 21:00 UTC
I recently had a bad experience with an application service provider that illustrated a growing problem with technology companies- lack of service and support. We have grown complacent as technology consumers and we allow vendors to offer very poor levels of service that wouldn't be allowed in other markets.
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(Whoo hoo. Posting from work. In fact, posting from the reference desk.)
I agree with the idea that software and hardware should come with a manual of some sort that offers guidance. A well written, clear manual makes a world of difference. (The 150 page book that came with my copy of Photoshop is *fantastic*.)
The problem is, so many manuals are so poorly written and have insufficent pictures. (Remember reading VCR manuals? Remember how many VCR's you'd see were still flashing 12:00 because setting up the clock was neither intuitive nor clearly explained?)
The manual that came with my copy of Roxio Toast has nothing to do with how I *finally* got it to burn a CD.
I counted over 30 differences between what I had to do to get things to work and what the book said to do in YDL.
Back in the day, I remember cringing when I had to open up the DOS or Windows 3.1 books. Not only were they really badly written, the indexing was mediocre, and everything was listed in the most technical terms possible -- not what it was called around the office.
I think that manuals were discontinued because people were so conditioned to assume they were useless that they never bothered to read them and why pay for the cost of paper and print? (And in the case of 75% of the manuals I ever read, they sure the hell weren't paying for a technical writer.)