Weird issue, not really technical, ideas, anyone?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

Speaking of someone who learned to type in 1975, "enter enter" is a hard habit to break.

Well, I learned in the late 60's, and somehow, I've managed to figure out that the program wraps text FOR you. I can't believe how many of these I get!

But as someone who has helped others learn computer skills, I somewhat feel you pain.

The pain isn't the file--it's bloody EXPLAINING IT. They do not understand the problem, no matter how many screenshots I send displaying the pilcrows, sample conversions to explain what will happen, if it's not cleaned up..it's laborious at best. (I pretty much lose money on every job like that--the explaining alone is more than an hour, usually.)

Years ago, in the late 80's early 90's, I was a part of a local food co-op. For a time, I received orders from users, many via fax. One gal's order always came through with half the page nothing but smears/static. Finally got it figured out...she was turning off her fax machine before it was done slurping the paper all the way through. She thought that was ok.

That's a riot. I once walked into a network installation, back in the ADDS terminal days, to see a reservations clerk pounding the top of an ADDS monitor, (like you would pound an old tube TV, to get better reception), to make the reservation she was looking for "fall down out of the machine" to display for her. Oy!

Then there was the insurance agent who had a template Word File he used, and he wanted to print out 25 or so each Monday. Went to his office to help straighten out what he said wasn't working right. He would open Word, print 1 copy, then fire up his scanner and make 24 copies, which were fuzzy and not clear. I was speechless.

Snort.

Originally Posted by BetterRed

How about a video game or virtual reality. Or maybe an injection of AI

I wish.

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

I sometimes put together screenshots for folks I work with, using the "Snipping Tool" that comes with Windows 7. It always open the screenshot directly in front of the application. After copy > pasting the screenshot into Word or email, I have occasionally caught myself clicking on the Snipping Tool screenshot instead of the application...although I am able to figure out what's wrong PDQ!

I'd suggest you tell the user to open the PDF beside the browser/application window...but I suspect that's too technical for this crowd. Assuming they'd even read that instruction.

I feel for ya, Hitch.

Most of them don't know how to move from tab to tab in a browser, so I'm not holding out a lotta hope for the "open the browser to half-your-screen and open the PDF on the other." Actually, I'm thinking to tell them to print it out. I hate to tell them to waste that much paper, but...

Hitch

[Hitch]

Addendum:

If I find the idiot "genius" that thought that the idea of saving files without file extensions was inspired, I'm gonna kill him. Outright dead, period. It's not even the end of Tuesday, and already, this week, I've had to have the "no, the KDP doesn't know that "Love's Savage Fury" is a MOBI file if you don't save it with its file extension, it doesn't matter if your computer does" explanation TWICE. TWICE, D*MMIT!


AAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Hitch

[patrik]

How about filming someone sitting by the computer, doing each step? That way they should get that it's not their own screen. I.e. double-dissociation.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by patrik

How about filming someone sitting by the computer, doing each step? That way they should get that it's not their own screen. I.e. double-dissociation.

God, I really hope it doesn't come to that, but it may. TY for the idea.

Hitch

[Sunlite]

Late to the game and also more in the "explaining stuff" crowd than the book makers, but here is my idea.

Maybe you could make you pdfs visually different from the actual screens. Like turning the images into grays with only the instruction in color.

Or put a half transparent stamp over the whole page that says "Instructions".

Besides that there will only be the possibility to let someone else do the work.
Either let them pay you to do the work or let them find someone else to do it for them.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Sunlite

Late to the game and also more in the "explaining stuff" crowd than the book makers, but here is my idea.

Maybe you could make you pdfs visually different from the actual screens. Like turning the images into grays with only the instruction in color.

Or put a half transparent stamp over the whole page that says "Instructions".

Besides that there will only be the possibility to let someone else do the work.
Either let them pay you to do the work or let them find someone else to do it for them.

Jesus! THAT is actually pretty damn brilliant. I can watermark them, effectively (the process, I mean), with something like that "instructions" or....something.

See, guys? This is exactly why I asked here. Different brain, and such a brilliantly simple solution. It certainly can't hurt.

Sunlite. Much appreciated.

Hitch

[Tex2002ans]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Jesus! THAT is actually pretty damn brilliant. I can watermark them, effectively (the process, I mean), with something like that "instructions" or....something.

And/Or you could add a colored border around it:



You could probably batch automate this using Imagemagick (although auto-sizing the watermarked text might be a little tricky).

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Tex2002ans

And/Or you could add a colored border around it:

Attachment 165731

You could probably batch automate this using Imagemagick (although auto-sizing the watermarked text might be a little tricky).

Yes, or I could probably do it using Acrobat Professional. If memory serves, I can append/apply a watermark auto-magically. These are all good ideas.

Hitch