TMG-L Archives

Archiver > TMG > 1999-09 > 0936362934


From: Lee Hoffman/KY <>
Subject: TMG-L: The TMG Reference Manual
Date: Fri, 03 Sep 1999 08:48:54 -0400


I just saw a comment by a TMG user to the effect that the TMG Reference
Manual is not very good because so much of the questions that they see are
repetitive. Thus that person assumes that the persons have not found the
answer in the Reference Manual. While that may be the case for some, one
has to look at the questions and to the users themselves as to why the
questions are posted on the Internet.

In some cases, I know that the user has not even picked up the TMG
Reference Manual. It is designed primarily in alphabetic order so that the
user goes to the appropriate part of the manual for the term being
researched to find the answer. I will grant that there have been a few
cases (rare) in which I did not find the term in the manual where I thought
it would be, but turned to the index and easily found it. But, very often,
the answers that I give to questions about TMG are almost verbatim from the
TMG Reference Manual. I then get as response the the person found my
answer to be of help. Thus the could not have looked at the manual.

There are some concepts in TMG that some users have have trouble
understanding. I certainly understand that as it is much like a crossword
puzzle in which I try to think of the proper word but can't because my
thinking is directed toward a different definition. When I see the final
answer, I see my error and often wonder why I didn't think of it earlier.

Finally, there are a few things that aren't really covered in the TMG
documentation. Most of this would be specific to the user's installation
and cannot be covered in a manual considering the thousands of different
computer system configurations. Wholly Genes has provided a way to help in
those situations where they can by providing a good Tech Support. There
are a few situations in which Tech Support cannot help. Again this is tied
to a specific computer configuration and they cannot duplicate it. They
will try even then to find the answer -- but it may take a long time.

I would agree that while there are many good questions asked about TMG, I
would also agree that many are repettitive. Most often, this is because
the question comes after not seeing the prior posting and not knowing that
it was even posted. In a number of cases, I have posted answers to these
questions in my articles in Everton's Genealogical Helper Magazine and on
my website (URL below).

Because most postings are repetitive, it would seem to me that either the
manual is not needed (I don't completely agree) or is very good (I think
so). There are probably a few areas where the manual could be better --
particularly in light of some of the repetitive questions. But, overall, I
think the manual is excellent. Also this latest version covers many of the
questions that used to be asked often.

While other programs often have _many_ different manuals printed, the
majority have been by users. Bob has expressed his willingness for someone
to write such a manual for TMG. I have considered such an endeavor myself
and may yet. However, that will require a certain amount of time and there
is a limited amount of that. In the meantime, I try to fill in the void
(such as it is) by writing articles and tutorials.

My opinion -

----------
Lee Hoffman/KY
E-mail:
My website: <http://www.users.mis.net/~lhoffman>;
--------------
A user of the best genealogy program, The Master Genealogist (TMG)

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