A manual Please

[xandra]

More than anything - I'd like a printable (PDF?/or preferably Text-Edit.rtf) manual for this app.

The app itself is quite impressive - but documentation is so disjointed it's real funky figuring out how to accomplish the most vital tasks (IMHO: importing/exporting)

I'd be happy to assist (in formatting info) if you're game to provide a reasonably organized text. for example Topics/Chapters might be:

I. What you'll need:
a) Hardware
b) Software Requirements
c) Additional Software for specific needs:
ex: 1. Lame -- only needed for:
2. Perian---

II. Importing Songs:
a) from CDGs
b) from Karaoke DVD's
c) from downloads
1. Sites with downloadable files (and comments on these sites)
2. About specific filetypes & specific concerns

etc., etc.

It's not that most of this information is not available here, somewhere... it's just that it's often necessary to click to 3 different spots - to figure out how to achieve one step.
for example: you go to the downloads page and lame, aac, etc all have download links (but I have to search around again to remember why or if... I actually need them.)
The upshot is that it's very hard to get the OVERVIEW of how or why to do something.

ASIDE: you should make the kJams current version download link MUCH more prominent.

Please continue the excellent work - It's great to see a developer so intent on improving his work.

xandra

[dave]

wearing all the hats means that only the most critical things get attention from me, that is: bugs in the code and new features. sometimes i can't see the forest for the trees.

would you be willing to help? I'll give you write access to the wiki and you can write a "getting started" page? That would be soooooo great!!

[xandra]

I'm happy to help with a printable manual - Sorry, not the Wiki Format (as I mentioned - I find this way too disjointed (virtually impossible to get 'the big picture). Afraid I'm not qualified to write a beginners manual from scratch (am way too confused myself) But I could certainly edit...

The notes you've provided on Wiki surely began in some text format -- If you could provide original files, I'd gladly attempt to organize in a manner that would be more helpful to the beginners and hopelessly confused like myself (I get too lost with endless clicking about, to organize the Wiki stuff)

wearing all the hats means that only the most critical things get attention from me, that is: bugs in the code and new features. sometimes i can't see the forest for the trees.

I definitetly understand what a pain it is to write manuals. (I've had to do this myself.) From my experience, I'd say documentation is best rough drafted by developer then edited someone else.

Again thanks for all your fine work on this project.
xandra

[dave]

The notes you've provided on Wiki surely began in some text format

errr, nooooo, the wiki is the original notes. Well, perhaps the original files is the C++ code.

the printable manual *will be* the wiki, the wiki is the definitive source, there is no other.

But feel free to edit, or add pages or whatnot. In fact, even if you're confused, add a page stating what it intends to explain, fill in what you know about, and but questions in about what you don't and I'll fill THAT in, then you can go back and massage it so it looks good?

I've given you full wiki editing powers.