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Documentation rant (slightly) -- no user manual in PDF?!?

I realize that in this day and age, manuals are bulky, extraneous and heavy. Oh, and not to mention they are also made out of paper. No big deal, honest.

I'm okay that there are no paper manuals, but why why WHY did they not include a standard PDF version of the user manual?

It's not even an option in the help menu anymore.

In looking at where the L8 manual is supposed to be, nested deep within the contents of the application package -- and voila -- instead of a simple, easy to use (and print) PDF file there are loads and loads of ... HTML files?!?

Does Apple really think that opening Safari (or Firefox) is going to be any faster than using Preview?

Who signed off on this? 😉

Sorry, it's a rant I know. If there is another solution, like buying bound copies of the manuals, I will do it. But why did they take away the pdf?!?

G5 dual 2.0, Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Jul 25, 2009 5:20 PM

203 replies

Jul 27, 2009 2:38 AM in response to Gregory Hendricks

I just gave them the following feedback, thought you might like to see it. One thing I completely forgot about was new users of Logic. Can you imagine having to learn Logic via Apple Help/HTML?!?? Talk about tough love, wow. Good luck gaining market share if all your pro apps contain that kind of help!

Apple and Logic feedback listeners --

I've been a user of Logic since version 4 ("Platinum"). And while I've loved the printed manuals, I do realize that their time is past. Ever since version 7 I've started using the PDF versions more and more, until with version 8 I barely had to open the physical manual.

I'm here to register my extreme displeasure that there is no PDF of the reference manuals with the latest version of Logic.

If you expect your professional users to rely on the Apple "Help" menu, they will become frustrated, angry and upset. While there is an ability within help to search and print, it is both slow and painful.

My main beef is that you cannot go back to the pages you were on when you closed the Apple "Help" application -- and this is essential to how I learn! You have to search it all out again -- you cannot save searches, either or bookmark pages to return to, i.e. the "reference" part of "reference manuals" is missing here. Again, did I mention that this is ESSENTIAL to how I learn?

I'm hoping that this is a gross oversight, and that something as critical as a PDF reference manual might be something you simply didn't quite have ready when the product shipped.

I am enjoying the new version, and would love to explore the new tools and features more in depth, but you see again, it's very difficult to learn this stuff with outdated tools. Do not take this personally, but I equate "Apple Help" with "Hypercard". Breathtaking technology for 1991, but a little outdated by now.

I realize that many users of Logic 9 will likely be coming to the product from Logic 8, and that that version contained PDFs of both manuals. And for those users, 90% of the product remains the same. If you are hoping to pick up more users unfamiliar with Logic before version 9, they will be extremely angry at not being able to have access to fully searchable, savable PDF versions of the manual. I would dread learning Logic via Apple Help or via HTML pages.

Please, Apple -- listen to your professional users. Offer us a PDF version of the manuals.

Jul 27, 2009 8:40 AM in response to extensivegroup

Another upset customer here I am afraid.

First upset there is no printed documentation and then extremely upset at no PDF files.

The help system runs like an absolute dog on my MacPro, I actually get the beach ball when changing topics sometimes!

Also the level of detail in the help system is no where near the level they had in the version 8 manuals.

How the **** you are meant to get on with this unless you had used Logic 8 I have no idea.

Unbelievable!

Eriksimon

Level 6

15,422 points

Jul 27, 2009 8:59 AM in response to deltonfoster

deltonfoster wrote:
I feel as if part of my brain was removed!

Relief: at least you can still feel... 😉

Jul 27, 2009 9:26 AM in response to extensivegroup

An FYI -- I've currently posted a query to the Final Cut Pro discussions to see if the recent update to that application also lacks PDF documentation. I'll let you know what is said there.

This will be horrible for new users coming to these apps for the first time.

Jul 27, 2009 11:08 AM in response to AndrewCapon

AndrewCapon wrote:
The help system runs like an absolute dog on my MacPro...

This is by no means a solution to the "no PDF" issue, but as an alternative to the Apple Help system, you can open up your browser and enter this URL to access the manual:

file:///Applications/Logic%20Pro.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/logicpro_h elp/index.html

No search, which makes looking up topics a chore, but you can bookmark pages using the Web browser's bookmarks feature.

-droo

Jul 27, 2009 11:35 AM in response to Andrew Tokuda

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for the info.

Cheers

Andy

iSchwartz

Level 5

4,321 points

Jul 27, 2009 11:41 AM in response to Andrew Tokuda

Workarounds are great, but we shouldn't be forced to work around such a fundamental aspect of any complicated, diverse thing: traditional forms of documentation.

It beggars belief that both hardcopy AND .pdf of the user manual (at the very least) are not included with the purchase of this software. I can only hope that expressions of outrage over this issue will be duly noted by the powers-that-be, and that they won't mistake the sheer popularity of Logic 9 (vis a vis volume of sales) as an implicit endorsement by said customers to the absence of proper, traditional documentation.

Jul 27, 2009 11:51 AM in response to iSchwartz

Thanks for the vote of confidence, iSchwartz! I'm only hoping that Apple takes note of how many people share your disgust.

BTW, I still haven't heard back from anyone in the Final Cut Pro forum regarding whether or not they are forced to use the same system, but if so it's an outrage.

Bee Jay

Level 6

10,900 points

Jul 27, 2009 11:55 AM in response to extensivegroup

Final Cut Studio 3 has exactly the same documentation format as Logic Studio 2.0 - no PDF manual, and the oh so lovely Apple Help Viewer HTML main manual.

Sorry to say 😟

Jul 27, 2009 11:58 AM in response to Andrew Tokuda

Thanks Droo. Well, it's at least something to note that the "manual" is available offline. I'm thinking of how quickly I can search in Preview in the PDF manual. I type in a few letters and the various applicable pages begin appearing. Why oh why would Apple think this is a good idea?

Jul 27, 2009 11:59 AM in response to extensivegroup

It's hard to believe they would do something this out of touch.

I wonder how hard it would be to come up with a script or other way of combining all the HTML files in order and then exporting as PDF?

Jul 27, 2009 11:59 AM in response to Bee Jay

Despite that bad news, I'm glad we're not alone here.

The more folks who find this unacceptable, the better.

What was Apple thinking?

Bee Jay

Level 6

10,900 points

Jul 27, 2009 12:02 PM in response to Mike Connelly

Remembering of course to click on all the "folded" headings on each page so they unfold to show their content...

But yes, you could do this, but it's still nowhere near as nice as a properly print-formatted nicely-laid out PDF..

Bee Jay

Level 6

10,900 points

Jul 27, 2009 12:06 PM in response to extensivegroup

What was Apple thinking?

"We want to be environmentally friendly. Most people probably use the computer-based manuals rather than the printed ones, the printed ones go out of date regularly, are massive, heavy and require large boxes and expensive print/paper runs, therefore expensive and wasteful shipping. Therefore, we do away with printed manuals.

Now that we are no longer doing printed manuals, why pay for someone to design and lay out the manual as if it was going to be a printed one? We can just go for an HTML format, which is far easier to maintain, plus we can automatically display any updated pages with an internet connection - saves even more money. Done."

Something along those lines, I'd bet...

Jul 27, 2009 12:18 PM in response to Bee Jay

Bee Jay,

I'm sure it was a business decision on Apple's part; money talks. Books are inexorably linked to mankind's presentation of knowledge, and I find it terribly hard to consider physical books--even ones written about software--as an environmental nuisance. However, a PDF is the closest electronic equivalent to a physical book. It can be quickly searched, bookmarked, highlighted, and presented in a fashion that makes it look like a real book. HTML...no.

Though I lament the loss of the physical manuals, I can't stand the loss of the PDF manuals. The HTML may be easier and cheaper for Apple to write and maintain, but it's not better for their customers, in my opinion. Customers are the end purpose, after all.

GSH

Message was edited by: Gregory Hendricks

Documentation rant (slightly) -- no user manual in PDF?!?