For my two cents I have never used the quick guide. I read through it, but always open the book. Just a comfort factor I guess. I do agree though that seperating 1st and 2nd level instructions is a much better approach that skipping sections. Maybe a flowchart approach might be a good idea.
-----Original Message----- From: The IBM z/VM Operating System [mailto:ib...@listserv.uark.edu]on Behalf Of william JANULIN Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 8:06 AM To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU Subject: Re: Please tell me I did something stupid I agree.....when I was working, I used the quick guides, knowing full well that there was a more detailed install doc available.....just in case. --- On Wed, 3/18/09, Mike Hammock <mike.hamm...@mainline.com> wrote: > From: Mike Hammock <mike.hamm...@mainline.com> > Subject: Re: Please tell me I did something stupid > To: IBMVM@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU > Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2009, 8:04 AM > It sounds like this may come under > the heading of "beating a dead horse", > but that has never stopped VM Sysprogs before, so.... > I've used the Quick Guides for 5 or 6 zVM installs so far > and I don't think > I've ever used an IBM printed hard copy of them yet. > I've always printed a > copy from the .PDF files. It would be fine with me if > IBM did not even > supply a hard copy version. That takes care of any > expense issue with > non-standard sized paper. (I frequently print other > materials on "legal" > sized paper and have no problem with doing so. I > suspect other users feel > the same way.) > Of course, the paper and font size issues could be > eliminated by breaking > the DVD guide into two versions: 1st level DVD and > 2nd level DVD. (The > tape install is already in a separate quick guide). > Each of these could > easily fit on a standard sheet using a larger font. > Yes, this would create > another, new, document and it could be argued that this > would increase the > cost... but.... As mentioned before, don't > print any of them. Make them > available electronically (only). That also makes it > possible to update > them much easier if the need arises. If you want to > make sure that users > are aware of the Quick Guides, put a one-sheet notice in > with the other > shipped materials providing the URLs for the downloadable > guides. > Mike > > C. M. (Mike) Hammock > Sr. Technical Advisor > IBM System Z Solutions > Mainline Information Systems > (404) 643-3258 > mike.hamm...@mainline.com > > > > > > > > Alan > Altmark > > > > > <alan_altm...@us. > > > > > ibm.com> > > > To > Sent > by: The IBM ib...@listserv.uark.edu > > z/VM > Operating > > > cc > > System > > > > <ib...@listserv.u > > > Subject > > ARK.EDU> > Re: Please tell me I did > something > > > stupid > > > > > > > > > 03/18/2009 01:37 > > > > > AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Please > respond to > > > > > The IBM z/VM > > > > > Operating System > > > > <ib...@listserv.u > > > > > ARK.EDU> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Tuesday, 03/17/2009 at 09:45 EDT, Mike Hammock > <mike.hamm...@mainline.com> > wrote: > > I also vote for keeping the Quick > Guides... I think they are the best > > thing since sliced bread! > > The only suggestion I would make would be to > 'simplify'; them by > completely > > separating the 1st level and 2nd level install > instructions,. > > I find that "skipping around" the "other" parts causes > more problems > than > > anything else. > > I appreciate the sentiments. We are not particularly > happy about getting > rid of them, but their time had come. In order to > keep it to "one page", > the page was going to have to grow to a non-standard piece > of paper > because the font was too small, both from an IBM printing > standards > perspective and based on complaints from sysprogs. > Non-standard = more > costly to produce. > > We will instead supply some sort of abbreviated > installation/service > procedure as part of the book. It won't skip steps, > but neither will it > have the voluminous explanations of the primary text. > > Alan Altmark > z/VM Development > IBM Endicott > > > This e-mail and files transmitted with it are confidential, > and are > intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to > whom this e-mail > is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, > or the employee or > agent responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient, > you are hereby > notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of > this > communication is strictly prohibited. If you are not > one of the named > recipient(s) or otherwise have reason to believe that you > received this > message in error, please immediately notify sender by > e-mail, and destroy > the original message. Thank You. >
