There’s a “Welcome to GnuCash!” screen? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it. I’m going to test in a vm and see what happens.
Regards, Adrien > On Sep 13, 2018, at 8:33 AM, David T. <sunfis...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > Adrien, > > I just tried using a new login on my Mac to run a newly-downloaded copy of > GnuCash, and I also found myself staring at a blank screen after startup. > > Having just worked on the documentation for the “Welcome to GnuCash!” screen, > I am curious to know *when* that screen actually runs? Does GnuCash have some > hidden element that knows that it has been run on any login of my Mac, or is > this aspect broken? Seems a shame to have a welcome mat at the front door, > and then have everyone use the service entrance. > > David > >> On Sep 13, 2018, at 8:53 AM, Adrien Monteleone >> <adrien.montele...@lusfiber.net> wrote: >> >> I was going to mention this in my reply to David Cousens but didn’t want to >> hijack the thread. >> >> The greatest source of confusion I’ve seen from new users personally is the >> blank screen you see on first run with no indication what to do next. >> (unless this has changed with 3.x, I haven’t started a ‘fresh’ copy of >> GnuCash in some time) >> >> Perhaps if this screen offered buttons for “Open existing book” or “Create >> new book” that then launches the appropriate assistant(s) could work well >> here. >> >> Does this fall in line with what you mentioned about ‘first screen’ or was >> that the ‘first screen of the assistant’? >> >> Regards, >> Adrien >> >>> On Sep 13, 2018, at 7:41 AM, D <sunfis...@yahoo.com> wrote: >>> >>> Hello, >>> >>> Having raised yet another ruckus on the lists regarding documentation, I >>> will back off altogether, and work to write documentation on the assistant >>> as it is, taking care to balance the needs of the different user groups. >>> >>> My only final comment is to note that it is unfortunate that this assistant >>> is what all users see when they click File->New. Perhaps the idea of adding >>> buttons on the first screen for Business and Personal setup (along with a >>> modification in sequencing for the latter option) could be implemented with >>> minor developer effort? >>> >>> I have a greater appreciation for the many different perspectives in the >>> community, and thank everyone for their input. >>> >>> David >>> >>> On September 13, 2018, at 8:10 AM, Adrien Monteleone >>> <adrien.montele...@lusfiber.net> wrote: >>> >>> David, >>> >>> I agree on all points. >>> >>> Regards, >>> Adrien >>> >>>> On Sep 12, 2018, at 10:19 PM, David Cousens <davidcous...@bigpond.com> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>> Adrien, >>>> >>>> While I agree with the concept David T is proposing to streamline the >>>> process for new users and the thrust of your >>>> comments about the new user experience, the new account heirarchy at least >>>> as it is currently implemented, will be used >>>> by anyone creating a new set of books, whether they are experienced >>>> Gnucash users, experienced accountants, total >>>> newbies or someone transferring from another program. >>>> >>>> As a newbie you can get a perfectly usable set of accounts for exploring >>>> Gnucash by simply clicking Next through the >>>> assistant then Apply and then saving the file. >>>> >>>> Perhaps this needs to be made clearer to new users as well as informing >>>> them that any choices they make can be changed >>>> later (except for the very few cases where this is not possible - I can't >>>> think of any but I personally don't currently >>>> use the full capabilty set of GnuCash's features but I used more in the >>>> past). >>>> >>>> If this was done up front, they could then easily skip through. >>>> >>>> The suggestion John made of creating a simplified new file option with >>>> defaults based on the locale and an advanced >>>> setup option using the NAHS Assistant seems to meet this need as well. >>>> Even knowing what you want in a CoA requires a >>>> fair understanding of your accounting needs as well as the functionality >>>> of GnuCash. Alternatively in other posts I >>>> think both Frank and I have suggested a checkbox which by default disables >>>> selecting those options which a new user is >>>> going to find confusing and provides default values. >>>> >>>> I would have thought the CoA setup is not too bad. It comes with the >>>> common accounts selected, it does perhaps give the >>>> new user a view that there is a lot more to explore. Some new users will >>>> be looking for business functionality and other >>>> "advanced " functionality from the get go. There will always be a few new >>>> users who will be confused by having to start >>>> the program. >>>> >>>> Personally when evaluating software, I jump in without reading manuals >>>> first because I figure if the interface isn't >>>> intuitive to a decent extent, I am not going to want to go too much >>>> further, unless I really have no other option. >>>> Intuitive for an experienced computer user can however be very different >>>> for someone with limited experience. My wife >>>> never reads manuals ever, she just asks me. I on the other hand consult my >>>> 5 year old grand daughter. >>>> >>>> I share Mechtilde's concern that in making things easier for the new user >>>> we don't lose functionality for the >>>> experienced user. We should hopefully look for mechanisms for doing both. >>>> >>>> David Cousens >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Wed, 2018-09-12 at 10:33 -0500, Adrien Monteleone wrote: >>>>> As someone who has helped other people get started using GnuCash (and >>>>> remembering my own first steps) I agree >>>>> completely with these points. Those book preferences are not self >>>>> explanatory. (perhaps bugs in their own right) A new >>>>> user is left to either trust the defaults and move on, pause and revisit >>>>> the startup process several times while they >>>>> track down help info and digest it, or give up in frustration. (I’ve seen >>>>> the latter three times—you may or not be >>>>> surprised how many people do *not* want to read a book before they start >>>>> using a piece of software, I chose the second >>>>> option personally) >>>>> >>>>> Unless the startup assistant (wizard, druid, whatever) can be redesigned >>>>> as an explanatory walk through to choose >>>>> these settings, that part should be removed and the defaults chosen for >>>>> the user. >>>>> >>>>> As for trading accounts, I turned them on after the fact for tracking >>>>> commodities as additional currencies. I’ve never >>>>> bought or sold any since doing that, but I’ve played with turning the >>>>> setting on and off to experiment with the >>>>> setting’s effect on some reports and I’ve never noticed any issues. (but >>>>> again, I only have opening balance >>>>> transactions in each currency) If turning Trading Accounts off after >>>>> entering buy/sell transactions is bad news, then >>>>> I would think the option to do so should be disabled. >>>>> >>>>> Regards, >>>>> Adrien >>>>> >>>>>> On Sep 12, 2018, at 9:38 AM, David T. via gnucash-devel >>>>>> <gnucash-devel@gnucash.org> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Hello, >>>>>> >>>>>> As I begin the process of migrating text from the Help to the Guide (cf. >>>>>> Bug 796855), I am working on the Help >>>>>> information regarding the New Account Hierarchy Setup (NAHS) assistant, >>>>>> and I have a couple of questions about the >>>>>> second screen of the assistant, the “New Book Options” screen. >>>>>> >>>>>> First off, while I respect the intent to allow users the option to set >>>>>> these preferences from the creation of their >>>>>> file, I wonder whether this is misguided. To wit: all of these options >>>>>> are quite technical in nature, and all of >>>>>> them can be set at a later point by opening the appropriate preferences. >>>>>> Adding these options here adds complexity >>>>>> that can easily be deferred to a later point. While it is true that this >>>>>> assistant runs whenever a user chooses >>>>>> File->New (meaning that an experienced user might wish to add these >>>>>> settings from the assistant), I am willing to >>>>>> hazard a guess that most users will invoke this assistant *only* when >>>>>> they first start using GnuCash, and *only* >>>>>> when their heads are already swimming with the overwhelming experience >>>>>> that is GnuCash. Asking a new user to choose >>>>>> whether to use Trading Accounts or to Use Split Action Field for Number >>>>>> is IMHO pointless. They aren’t going to be >>>>>> able to make an informed decision. >>>>>> >>>>>> <aside>I’ll note that this becomes an obvious issue when I attempt to >>>>>> write the help section for the screen. I am >>>>>> left either with writing a huge explanatory section on the details of >>>>>> each of these settings, which detracts from >>>>>> the flow of the NAHS narrative, or with adding a generic note that >>>>>> advises users to accept the defaults and read >>>>>> about the details in other sections of the Guide.</aside> >>>>>> >>>>>> So, for the new user, the only real effect of this screen is to >>>>>> introduce confusion and questions. Can it be removed >>>>>> from the assistant? >>>>>> >>>>>> Related to this screen, my second question has to do with the “Use >>>>>> Trading Accounts” setting. Can it be turned off >>>>>> once it has been enabled in a given GnuCash file? >>>>>> >>>>>> ISTR that this option is a one-way street—i.e., that, once turned on, it >>>>>> can not be turned off again. Is this still >>>>>> the case? If it is still true, then I would strongly suggest that this >>>>>> option shouldn’t be placed on the NAHS >>>>>> Assistant, since a new user won’t be aware of this. >>>>>> >>>>>> David >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> gnucash-devel mailing list >>>>>> gnucash-devel@gnucash.org >>>>>> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-devel >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> gnucash-devel mailing list >>>>> gnucash-devel@gnucash.org >>>>> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-devel >>>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> gnucash-devel mailing list >>> gnucash-devel@gnucash.org >>> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-devel >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> gnucash-devel mailing list >> gnucash-devel@gnucash.org >> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-devel > > _______________________________________________ gnucash-devel mailing list gnucash-devel@gnucash.org https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-devel
