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Title: Re: [amibroker] Re: Help Manual
I think the Help is pretty good... It has grown immensely and over the years. The simplest and best solution might be to::
1) Port all Help contents to a regular browser to allow for foreign links, with an automated periodic DB update, better bookmark handling, etc. I am thinking along the lines of a website downloader that kicks in periodically to update the DB that is on the AB site.
2) Add a personal DB add-on that allows users to add code snippets and comments to the Help database. I really miss this option as we could add hundreds of our own routines and comments to this personal Help extension.
3) Include the latest KB, UKB, Library, and Readme files in the search domain. This should be easy and adaptable in a normal browser window. Also users could add their own links.
Features like this could be added as time permits, without a complete overhaul of the current system.
best regards,
herman
Saturday, August 30, 2008, 4:57:07 AM, you wrote:
> Brian is right that the Help manual is incomplete and inadequate.
> I don't buy the argument that "we shouldn't expect it to be complete
> because AmiBroker is cheap".
> I know it's just TJ and Marcin, but that's TJ's choice. I've stated
> before, and I'll state again, I would happily pay $500 for AmiBroker
> IF it had great on-line help manuals. IF it had something along the
> lines of a decent beginners, intermediate and advanced users guide.
> And I'm sure new incremental users would come on board as AmiBroker
> becomes more 'accessbile' to the masses.
> I took the plunge with AmiBroker, and there is absolutely no doubting
> it's a fine product.
> The users of AmiBroker deserve to get the same support as they would
> if they chose to purchase one of the C# based alternatives - namely
> Ninja, RightEdge or OpenQuant etc. IF they have to pay more for that
> support, then so be it... TJ can hire someone to work solely on new
> user guides for the next 6 months. Shouldn't cost too much.
> Let's pretend that Howard produces a 'beginners' book for AmiBroker,
> then another one for more advanced users, say focusing on the custom
> backtester... suddenly we've got three books for AmiBroker coming in
> at $50 each... that's $150.
> Personally I'd be happy with either solution. A Howard provided
> alternative that costs $150, or an in-house AmiBRoker one that adds
> $150 to AB price.
> But let's at least have one of the two alternatives.
> --- In amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Steve Dugas" <sjdugas@xxx> wrote:
>> Jeez Brian, even TJ admits that everything is not perfect, but there
> are
>> only 24 hours in a day and how much harder do you think he can work?
> He is
>> human like the rest of us, if you spot an error or ommision, just
> report it
>> so he can fix it.
>> Steve
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "brian_z111" <brian_z111@xxx>
>> To: <amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Friday, August 29, 2008 7:08 PM
>> Subject: [amibroker] Help Manual
>> >
>> > There are far too many Help Manual questions posted in this forum.
>> >
>> > This takes up our valueable time answering questions that should have
>> > been answered by AmiBroker.
>> >
>> > In fact they waste far more time than OT posts.
>> >
>> > Our precious time would be far better spent answering more interesting
>> > questions.
>> >
>> > Some of the features in AB aren't explained in the manual, some things
>> > are out of date and sometimes the explanations are a bit cryptic.
>> >
>> > Example:
>> >
>> > Prettify was added to the Formula Editor in beta version 5.04
>> > - included in devlog under version 5.05 Feb08
>> > - official release v5.10 in June08 which includes manual 5.10
>> >
>> > Ami website PDF manual is still version 5.00
>> >
>> > - Search PDF for prettify == nothing
>> > - Search AB manual version 5.1 for prettify == nothing
>> > - Use AB site search engine == nothing
>> > - Google amibroker.com == 3 hits from devlog
>> > - devlog records release but has no info about it and no
> explanation in
>> > the read me
>> > - searched KB == nothing
>> > - searched UKB == nothing
>> >
>> > The screenshot of the FE edit dropdown menu, in the Help Manual is out
>> > of date (at least it looks different to my version 5.10)
>> >
>> > http://www.amibroker.com/guide/w_afledit.html
>> >
>> > The Devlog just says that the Prettify function was added ...
> looked in
>> > the AFL function list and couldn't find anything... is it a
> function or
>> > a function()?
>> >
>> > New features should be explained in the official help manual that
> comes
>> > out immediately after the beta inclusion.
>> > We should not have to search elsewhere but even if we do we, in this
>> > case, we still find nothing.
>> >
>> > It shouldn't be up to volunteers to explain help manual items in this
>> > forum, or the UKB, or anywhere else.
>> >
>> > It saves AB some effort if they don't have to keep the manual up to
>> > date but the effort is transferred to the volunteers, who have to
>> > answer it scores of times, instead of AB answering it once.
>> >
>> > If we all took the rationalist approach, that some people are
>> > advocating e.g. "users should have skills or lower their sights or pay
>> > Graham", and charged AB for the time we spend providing AB support
> then
>> > the program would cost thousands of dollars and wouldn't look so
> cheap,
>> > up against other software, afterall
>> >
>> > brian_z
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > ------------------------------------
>> >
>> > Please note that this group is for discussion between users only.
>> >
>> > To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly to
>> > SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com
>> >
>> > For NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always check DEVLOG:
>> > http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/
>> >
>> > For other support material please check also:
>> > http://www.amibroker.com/support.html
>> > Yahoo! Groups Links
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
> ------------------------------------
> Please note that this group is for discussion between users only.
> To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly to
> SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com
> For NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always check DEVLOG:
> http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/
> For other support material please check also:
> http://www.amibroker.com/support.html
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__._,_.___
Please note that this group is for discussion between users only.
To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly to
SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com
For NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS and other news always check DEVLOG:
http://www.amibroker.com/devlog/
For other support material please check also:
http://www.amibroker.com/support.html
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