My apologies to all. The two lists I attempted to include with my previous e-mail did not display well, even though I kept to plain text and spaces, rather than tabs to separate them. Here are those two lists one above the other in hopes that they will be easier to read. I have included the content of my original post to make it easier for everyone to associate the lists with the text of my e-mail. Sorry about any inconvenience.
John Zimmerman Mesa, AZ ============================ Pat and Marnie, I am in complete accord with you on Legacy Help screens, and to a great extent on the Legacy 7 manual as well.Entries tend to present the user with a multitude of exceptions rather than on the most simple, straight forward procedures that are liable to be sought after by first time Legacy novices.The Legacy Help System Keyword Search presents information in a convoluted, and non-intuitive fashion that can be daunting to use by even a seasoned Legacy enthusiast. Let's examine "Sources" as an example.This mailing list probably discusses sources more than any other subject. Partly because we all tend to enter sources differently from person to person, so much verbiage is expended on this list diagramming, justifying and rebutting one-another’s source citing philosophies. However at least as much energy is expended explaining things that new Legacy users should be able to find using the Help System. Unfortunately they cannot find those explanations because the Help System is not very well organized. If I click on “Help/Show Help Index” then key in “Sources” I am presented with a list of 32 sub-headings under the word "Sources".With "Sources" highlighted in the resulting Keyword List I am invited to click on a "Display" button at the bottom right of the list, and if I click on that button in hopes that the large screen area to the right of the Keyword List will fill with information about Sources I am sorely disappointed, for instead I am presented with yet another list! The "Topics Found List" is only 23 items, but surprisingly four of them duplicate entries on the Keyword List of sub-headings (see the two lists below). The oddities of capitalization in the lists are taken directly from the Help System. Keyword List Sources Adding when exporting GEDCOMs Advanced source citations Assignment when importing Author Citation report Citations citations (advance) citations to groups Clipboard Clipboard loading Comments Definition Description Detail Detail Comments Detail options Details Entry system in Notes Marriage information Name Name options on Reports Options Options for books Search for missing SourceWriter Tab on name list Templates Text Type which system to use Topics Found List Adding Source Types Advanced Source Citations AutoSource - Export Book Source Options Citing the Sources of Your Information Define or Edit a Master Source Defining Master Sources How to Document Your Information Importing a GEDCOM File Information Screen Marriage Information Master Source List Master Source Type List Missing Sources Search Name List Report Options Source Citation Report Source Clipboard Source Detail Source Detail Comments Sources Tab SourceWriter Which Source System to Use To my way of thinking when a user highlights “Sources” in the Keyword List, then clicks on “Display,” they should be presented with some text in the right window that explains the fundamentals of citing sources as well as explaining that there are two systems in Legacy (Basic and SourceWriter) for citing sources. If the user is a little savvy about genealogy they will be able to figure out that “Citing the Sources of Your Information” will probably provide some basic information, and indeed it does, but I’d like to know why “Citing the Sources of Your Information” is not one of the items on the Keyword List and why clicking "Display" while "Sources" is highlighted on the original list the user does not trigger that same information about citing sources instead of getting another list? If the organization of the Keyword List is not confusing enough, throughout the Help system the text refers to icons by their name. A new user is not going to be familiar with what those icons look like. The Help system should show pictures of those icons when they are referenced. To sum up, the Legacy Help system is full of information, but it is presented in such a convoluted, non-intuitive fashion as to put off the user, rather than lead them down the path to knowledge. John Zimmerman Mesa, AZ Legacy User Group guidelines: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp Archived messages after Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup@legacyusers.com/ Archived messages from old mail server - before Nov. 21 2009: http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup@legacyfamilytree.com/ Online technical support: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Help.asp Follow Legacy on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LegacyFamilyTree) and on our blog (http://news.LegacyFamilyTree.com). To unsubscribe: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/LegacyLists.asp
