[Rhekath88]

I'm happy to announce, that after all the chatter for or against, the paper manuals remain in all future Schiit schipments

Thanks for letting us add a few pages regarding the topic, Great times.

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

Tomorrow never arrives.

Tomorrow is another day .....

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

Yup CYA, there is always someone who says, "no one told me and there was no manual in the box".

Jason can alter the buying page to "download the TFM before you leave this page".

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

I like the manuals (mostly due to the cryptic nature of the lights and stencils on the equipment), but certainly not a deal breaker to refer to (or download) an online version. But, as was mentioned, they need to stay on the website (archived) for older products.

Keep the Stickers coming!

....and as an aside, last week I did my Bifrost 2/64 upgrade. The included microSD card was either corrupt or unformatted, but luckily, the website had the 2 new firmware .dat files, so I could download them, throw them on a known working card and load it. So, no big deal, other than some troubleshooting of why the heck after the board install, the firmware wouldn't load.

Agree, Stickers are important !

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

Another wacky idea to consider: Make a paper manual an optional extra when ordering. Since the product it boxed, if ordered, put it in a shipping pouch on the outside.

Permission to link staff to, and laugh at the ridiculousness of this idea granted.

Good idea ! charge $5 for it ...

 

[tincanear]

Jason Stoddard said:
Let's discuss manuals:

Manuals:
pdf versions to fit both 8.5x11 and A4 paper sizes (wide horiz & vert margins)
+1 about the printed copies in each box (these get saved with original packaging & carton). Especially when purchasing a pre-owned product from HF classifieds, etc., the online manuals may be for wrong product generation, (e.g. Jot 2 has only "Jotunheim" silkscreen on the front panel, user finds Jot 1 manual online).

Manuals for all discontinued products:
make them all available online,
add patterned (small font multiple repeat) watermark “DISCONTINUED” across every page (makes not-in-production status more obvious when zooming pdf on cell phone / tablet)
add specifications pdf and APx test reports for discontinued products (perhaps just starting with the Last Call items, and working backwards)

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

@Jason Stoddard

Whether keep printing the manuals is your decision, no objection whatsoever. You have the file for the printing shop to print it on paper and already put it at your website, it co-exists since day one of the product, one who can click "add to cart" means they have the internet connection and computer to pay the bill and so can do the download.. Even if no more printed manual, for me is fine, just rearrange the website for ALL manuals for download plus specification or may be with the AP test pages. it will take some time to rearrange it but you can do it slowly step by step to fine polished it. But, PLEASE, no QR codes on another piece of paper, it is a waste and mess, better make some more funny and lovely stickers, I think most of us love it very much.

 

[mch12000]

This survey about mauals is great. I can now confidently guess everyone's age in this forum, haha.

The younger people don't care about manuals because they know everything is available online forever.

The middle age people still prefer a paper manual, but aren't scared to get online and find it if necessary.

And the older crowd, who prefer their manuals printed on 3-4 trees worth of paper and the amp wrapped in extra forever chemicals.

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

This survey about mauals is great. I can now confidently guess everyone's age in this forum, haha.

The younger people don't care about manuals because they know everything is available online forever.

The middle age people still prefer a paper manual, but aren't scared to get online and find it if necessary.

And the older crowd, who prefer their manuals printed on 3-4 trees worth of paper and the amp wrapped in extra forever chemicals.

I am 63+ but I support the online manual(s)

 

[Timster]

This is my second bottle of the Single Cask Barrel. They're just fantastic.

And you can still type a coherent sentence. Well done

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

Thanks for letting us add a few pages regarding the topic, Great times.

This will lead to @dstrimbu ranting for behind..... (kidding)

 

[Timster]

Let's discuss manuals:

1. I know if we get rid of them, someone's gonna complain about us being cheap/assholes/etc. Understood.
2. However, if we get rid of them, we're right there with $3500 products (Cintiq) with no manuals and with massively complex apps and other stupid stuff with no manuals.
3. Most manuals are about 10% useful information and 90% scolding (looking at tools especially).
4. Manuals are almost always somewhat wrong.

So: manuals? Pro? Con? Indifferent?

Edit: I linked Tyler to this, so he'll definitely read your opinions.

Edit2: also, for the high school debate team champions, don't try to shift this to plastic bags and other crap in the box. We get it. We've been trying to eliminate plastic bags. Nothing is good enough so far. You get to choose between weirdo semi-plastic molded stuff to hold the non-bagged product in place, and bags. Some things (Tyrs) require foam, period. Magnis and Midgards and stuff like that have been moved to, or are being moved to, all-recycled cardboard. We beat FedEx to this, FWIW.

I have digital copies of pretty much all my manuals in the clouds, so accessible on any device as and when I need them.
Tools, Kitchen Appliances, Audio, etc.... if I can get a digital copy, I'm happy.

 

[Andrew Randle]

Let's discuss manuals:

1. I know if we get rid of them, someone's gonna complain about us being cheap/assholes/etc. Understood.
2. However, if we get rid of them, we're right there with $3500 products (Cintiq) with no manuals and with massively complex apps and other stupid stuff with no manuals.
3. Most manuals are about 10% useful information and 90% scolding (looking at tools especially).
4. Manuals are almost always somewhat wrong.

So: manuals? Pro? Con? Indifferent?

Edit: I linked Tyler to this, so he'll definitely read your opinions.

Edit2: also, for the high school debate team champions, don't try to shift this to plastic bags and other crap in the box. We get it. We've been trying to eliminate plastic bags. Nothing is good enough so far. You get to choose between weirdo semi-plastic molded stuff to hold the non-bagged product in place, and bags. Some things (Tyrs) require foam, period. Magnis and Midgards and stuff like that have been moved to, or are being moved to, all-recycled cardboard. We beat FedEx to this, FWIW.

Opening the box, finding a physical manual, and reading the Stoddard-isms, are all part of the ownership experience.

I also appreciate Edit2, as that ties into my “sustainability” question a month-or-so ago.

Andrew

 

[Plautus001]

Thanks for letting us add a few pages regarding the topic, Great times.

I think it was a ploy by Jason to keep us distracted

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

I think it was a ploy by Jason to keep us distracted

Jason has 15 years of marketing experience.

He is not distracting us, but the other way round, brought us to discuss and get the opinion of the paper manual cut.