Just wondering...

[Trimac20]

When I usually buy expensive things (which I seldom do) like my Nokia mobile phone, I generally took a quick flick through the manual. When I bought my hp ipaq 4350 the first thing I noticed was there was no manual - just a very thin startup kit. I was just wondering, for a device so complicated (in relative terms) I was wondering why hp didn't include a decent users manual (at least 100 pages)? Not that I really needed one, but I've seen thicker user manuals on a battery charger. It was just a thought.

[Steven Cedrone]

I think there is a PDF version on the CD that came with it...

Steve

[Trimac20]

Ohhhh....still, to many people a hard-copy manual is a must-have.

[Steven Cedrone]

Companies (not just HP) have been getting really bad about this. I can remember when you used to buy hardware and software and actually get books with them, not any more though...

You decide: paperless society, or are they just being really cheap! :wink:

Steve

[Mitch D]

The companies that build these devices say that they don't include printed manuals to save money but I think I agree with Steven, they are just being cheap!

:twisted:

[ombu]

You decide: paperless society, or are they just being really cheap! :wink:

Cheap, just cheap, a paperless office is almost impossible but there's a lot to do there, oh, sorry, HP is not interested, the big printing business eh ... but not for a manual :twisted:

Regards.

[Steven Cedrone]

Well, think about it: you'll probably go through one of their print cartridges just printing out the manual! :wink: Coincidence or conspiricy! Hmmm...:lol:

Steve

[Dave Potter]

The companies that build these devices say that they don't include printed manuals to save money but I think I agree with Steven, they are just being cheap!

:twisted:

I think that they are cheap - because we as consumers are cheap. Individually, the cost is insignificant - but add all the little things up and it translates into consideralby more. We as consumers pressure manufacturers like HP to keep costs (aka prices) down - and then complain when they find a way to do it (like PDF manuals instead of paper). Lets's be realistic - we cannot have our cake and eat it too.

Another consideration is manual revisions. Everytime a change is made to the manual, they would have to print another run - and discard any remaining old versions. This costs a great deal of money. The reality is that the actual cost of a paper manual is much greater than just one manual.

[Sven Johannsen]

I agree with zippper. The cost of the paper manual is much greater than it would appear just thinking about the one you would get. I much prefer the electronic form. It is easier to search for specific info, and I can keep a copy most anywhere with 0 duplication costs.

I would like the OEMs to be a little more proactive in their production and delivery of the electronic manual though. Would it hurt to have a link to the manual in the start screen when you run the OEM CD? Would an option with script be so hard to offer to copy the manual to your PC, in an appropriate or selectable directory, with option for a link on the start menu? This is a Pocket PC manual, why isn't an MS Reader version included? And HP specifically, why do I have to dig through the WEB site to download a fresh copy? What's wrong with a link on the product page for the convenience of owners and potential owners?

Why are they doing it though? Yes it's cheapness, but as another said, it is as much our cheapness as the OEM's.

[arnage2]

when i bought a toshiba 750, it had a big manual. My current e805 had a smaller one. Palm(one) doesnt have owners manuals anymore. Sony (clie) usually does.

It doesnt matter to me, i dont read my owners manuals.

[JustinGTP]

I think it is for environmental reason, why include a manual when you have a computer that you can read it on anyways? Maybe they ought to include an eBook file of it.

When you buy a Pocket PC, it is designed to replace your agenda, which face it, used to have paper and paper that you would just throw away at the end of the year.

So - why include paper when you can go about it more environmentally friendly! :D

-Justin.

[ombu]

Well, think about it: you'll probably go through one of their print cartridges just printing out the manual! :wink: Coincidence or conspiricy! Hmmm...:lol:

Steve
Didn't think about it, but it may take more than one cartridge. :mrgreen:

[Aerestis]

is it really more environmentally friendly though? I wonder how much environmentally unfriendly energy goes into a manual or agenda as opposed to the production of one pda and the batteries it goes through? I know that batteries are currently a bad one. But I am under the impression that we're moving on to a friendly battery. I don't know at all, heh.

Anyhow... I don't really care whether I get a manual or not, but when I do get one, I always enjoy reading it. Sometimes you'll find a bit of neat information. My electronic manual for my palm was saddening though, it was small and the information that was new to me, I would have found in a few hours. I can't wait until handhelds are so immense internally that the manuals will require a good week of reading.

Reading up for developing takes a lot of time. It's kind of hard with handhelds.