Users guide vs Quickguide

[Daniel de Kok]

Hi,

I am only subscribed to this list since yesterday, so, just ignore me if I 
utter plain nonsense ;-).

On Tue, 14 Dec 2004, Corey Burger wrote:
> If we reverse it, then this might be the most logical way that a new
> user explores the system. However, it might also be the other way
> around.

Reversing it seems to make sense to me. To give this opinion a some
underpinning: there is a stress factor for users in retrieving 
information. I can imagine that this can be quite high when a user 
switches to a whole new operating system. After all, in the end users have 
to get their jobs done. A quickstart guide has to be written with this in 
mind. A user who just installed Ubuntu has simple questions, like:

- How can I read the PDF file I reveived from my collegue?
- How do I open my Word/Excel files, and how can I make them without
   Microsoft Office?
- I have to check my e-mail, can I access my work e-mail address from
   home?

In such cases it can be very annoying to have a quick guide that just 
describes some applications. OTOH, when such a guide is task oriented, 
there is much less uncertainty about what applications users can use to do 
their job, and how to set them up, relieving the stress that comes with 
switching to a new operating system.

With kind regards,
Daniel de Kok