TMG-L Archives

Archiver > TMG > 1999-09 > 0936408552


From: "wlwatkins" <>
Subject: Re: TMG-L: The TMG Reference Manual
Date: Fri, 3 Sep 1999 21:29:12 -0400


My Opinion:

My experience of the manual is that as manuals supplied with software go the
TMG is well above average and most answers needed are there and relatively
easy to find. After a couple of weeks or so on this mailing list I tend to
agree in part that the repetitive problems reported here are those that
cannot be accessed and also for lazies like me some are simply a result of
this seeming to be easier.

The repetitive questions that fall into the other part are on the other hand
representative of some genuinely serious defects in the program for which
there appears to be no real solution.

ie I have no problem with those who wrote the manual but would like to get
my hands on the dudes who wrote the advertising. I would have been
satisfied with fewer features if one could count on them working on modern
systems.

$100 wiser.

Researching: WATKINS, CLARK, HIRST, COOKE, CARDWELL
-----Original Message-----
From: Lee Hoffman/KY <>
To: <>
Date: Friday, September 03, 1999 10:50 AM
Subject: TMG-L: The TMG Reference Manual


>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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