First I would like to congratulate the Sonic Foundry team that put this program together. This program is simply amazing.
This post is not a Rag on you folks.
I have read just about every NLE manual there is. I know, I'm sick. :-)
My thoughts are that the people who plan these manuals either know to much about the program or do not really use a NLE like a 'normal' (If there is such a thing) user would.
Here are my suggestions.
Lacking are simple instructions on each tool.
For instance: As I'm sure you are aware 90% of users want a text with transparent backgrounds over their video footage. My first suggestion would be to walk the user through a simple how to place Text media over footage. First assume the 90% want this without a background. It took me an hour to figure out what the heck I was doing wrong the first time I fired up your program. I hung in there where others might just move on to the next program thinking if that simple process is so difficult to attain the rest will be impossible. Not knowing that the learning curve is very reasonable.
The key framer is also so easy to use but simple instructions in the quick manual are not evident.
How to use the keyframer.
How to generate Text.
How to apply effects.
How to use the media trimmer.
How the time line functions.
If you hired five people at minimum wage who have never operated a NLE and watched them struggle through the program and then observe where they are looking for answers and asking them where they would expect the answers to be and what the answer should look like.
Then I would hire 5 people who understand another NLE product and watch them go through the same process.
After analyzing this information a damn good method of manual help could be developed on the cheap.
Create an interactive CD that helps you through just the basics.
You get examples on how to use say the keyframer.
Then you are asked to repeat the exercise yourself. When you make a mistake you get a pop up window telling you what to do to get back on track.
Something like this might really increase sales.
I could think of several other simple ideas too but I don't want to sound like a blow hard.
I thought to mention this because I see the same text question asked time and time again. I had thought it was just me when it happened.
Just some thoughts.
Thank you for creating this program!
Cheers,
W
This post is not a Rag on you folks.
I have read just about every NLE manual there is. I know, I'm sick. :-)
My thoughts are that the people who plan these manuals either know to much about the program or do not really use a NLE like a 'normal' (If there is such a thing) user would.
Here are my suggestions.
Lacking are simple instructions on each tool.
For instance: As I'm sure you are aware 90% of users want a text with transparent backgrounds over their video footage. My first suggestion would be to walk the user through a simple how to place Text media over footage. First assume the 90% want this without a background. It took me an hour to figure out what the heck I was doing wrong the first time I fired up your program. I hung in there where others might just move on to the next program thinking if that simple process is so difficult to attain the rest will be impossible. Not knowing that the learning curve is very reasonable.
The key framer is also so easy to use but simple instructions in the quick manual are not evident.
How to use the keyframer.
How to generate Text.
How to apply effects.
How to use the media trimmer.
How the time line functions.
If you hired five people at minimum wage who have never operated a NLE and watched them struggle through the program and then observe where they are looking for answers and asking them where they would expect the answers to be and what the answer should look like.
Then I would hire 5 people who understand another NLE product and watch them go through the same process.
After analyzing this information a damn good method of manual help could be developed on the cheap.
Create an interactive CD that helps you through just the basics.
You get examples on how to use say the keyframer.
Then you are asked to repeat the exercise yourself. When you make a mistake you get a pop up window telling you what to do to get back on track.
Something like this might really increase sales.
I could think of several other simple ideas too but I don't want to sound like a blow hard.
I thought to mention this because I see the same text question asked time and time again. I had thought it was just me when it happened.
Just some thoughts.
Thank you for creating this program!
Cheers,
W