C
CBC
In Help as in your on-line assistance, no one has beta tested the words or
index on real people. Ever tried to read fine print in an insurance policy.
That's how Microsoft writes -- in words only understood by techies who
already know the answer, not by normal people who are struggling and often
give up. Before putting articles or a search index out for the public, give
it to some over 50 people who are only moderately compter literate. A
brilliant techie doesn't need training or help.
Also, don't be afraid to cross reference a topic so it can be found in
several different ways. Engineers don't look things up the same way artists
do.
There is, in fact, speech recognition training, but it is so well hidden, a
person has to know where it is before using help or search. They aren't
necessary if one already knows the answer.
++++
I paid $35 and tried and tried to learn how to merge fund raising letters
with a list of names and addresses. Impossible. Failure.
++++
When backing up and reformatting, it's easy to drag files from the backup
disk to the reformatted computer, but difficult and not intuitive how to
bring saved e-mail back to Outlook. If pst holds e-mail, what holds
contacts? I now know that pst hold both, but MS keeps this a secret just to
frustrate people. I challenge you that if you're so smart, you could make
these processes mus more simple. Also, you could put little notices [lits
tips] in the dialogue boxes that pop up when people are trying to do certain
actions. Or, in a dialogue box, say, "For more into, click ___" and put a
url. I know the url's change but you can put a note in the old location for
users to click on a new box to get to the updated article.
+++
The verbal tours are the most useful. It's very hard to read mere words
even if there is a photo. Try looking at a staric map of WW I and describing
where what armies when and where the opposition when at what times. You have
to be a historian to follow it other than in general terms. That is what MS
Knowledge base documents are like -- besides being written using words and
phrases that normal people don't understand. More animated teaching
including in help.
++++
After the customer uses a computer for 2 years, so much junk get in the
registry that he has to buy third party software to clean it up or do what
the computer mfgr tech support people always say -- "Reformat." Some of them
don't know enough to help so they say "There must be a virus or spyware. You
have to reformat. " That is very difficult for skilled peole to do. Besides
it often isn't necessary. Microsoft sends customers to the computer mfgr
tech support which says it doesn't support Microsoft except for a fee. Why
not put more and better internal security and clean up tools in MS operating
systems? All these outside groups make money selling add on programs
because MS is second rate until years later it takes over or pushes out these
extra companies and puts programs similar to them in its nex operating
system.
----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.
http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...-cdb35c6ea4e3&dg=microsoft.public.office.misc
index on real people. Ever tried to read fine print in an insurance policy.
That's how Microsoft writes -- in words only understood by techies who
already know the answer, not by normal people who are struggling and often
give up. Before putting articles or a search index out for the public, give
it to some over 50 people who are only moderately compter literate. A
brilliant techie doesn't need training or help.
Also, don't be afraid to cross reference a topic so it can be found in
several different ways. Engineers don't look things up the same way artists
do.
There is, in fact, speech recognition training, but it is so well hidden, a
person has to know where it is before using help or search. They aren't
necessary if one already knows the answer.
++++
I paid $35 and tried and tried to learn how to merge fund raising letters
with a list of names and addresses. Impossible. Failure.
++++
When backing up and reformatting, it's easy to drag files from the backup
disk to the reformatted computer, but difficult and not intuitive how to
bring saved e-mail back to Outlook. If pst holds e-mail, what holds
contacts? I now know that pst hold both, but MS keeps this a secret just to
frustrate people. I challenge you that if you're so smart, you could make
these processes mus more simple. Also, you could put little notices [lits
tips] in the dialogue boxes that pop up when people are trying to do certain
actions. Or, in a dialogue box, say, "For more into, click ___" and put a
url. I know the url's change but you can put a note in the old location for
users to click on a new box to get to the updated article.
+++
The verbal tours are the most useful. It's very hard to read mere words
even if there is a photo. Try looking at a staric map of WW I and describing
where what armies when and where the opposition when at what times. You have
to be a historian to follow it other than in general terms. That is what MS
Knowledge base documents are like -- besides being written using words and
phrases that normal people don't understand. More animated teaching
including in help.
++++
After the customer uses a computer for 2 years, so much junk get in the
registry that he has to buy third party software to clean it up or do what
the computer mfgr tech support people always say -- "Reformat." Some of them
don't know enough to help so they say "There must be a virus or spyware. You
have to reformat. " That is very difficult for skilled peole to do. Besides
it often isn't necessary. Microsoft sends customers to the computer mfgr
tech support which says it doesn't support Microsoft except for a fee. Why
not put more and better internal security and clean up tools in MS operating
systems? All these outside groups make money selling add on programs
because MS is second rate until years later it takes over or pushes out these
extra companies and puts programs similar to them in its nex operating
system.
----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.
http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...-cdb35c6ea4e3&dg=microsoft.public.office.misc