Owner's Manual Format

"Richard Riley" wrote in message ...
On Tue, 4 Dec 2007 22:59:48 -0800, "RST Engineering"
wrote:

Because a lot of our customers are technotards.

Jim

1) If they can't download and print a PDF - are they going to be able
to print a PDF from the CD? I mean, most of the equipment is the same
- computer, PDF reader, printer. One you have to have a CD drive -
and everyone with a computer has one, I think that's a safe
assumption. The other, they have to have an internet connection - and
I think that's a safe assumption these days too.

2) Given the choice, I'd rather have the PDF on the website. I can't
keep track of a CD to save my life, there are stacks of them around
here. They get damaged. They get thrown out. They get lost. I can
always get back to RSTengineering.com.

But if you go to the work of putting it on CD, it's only a few minutes
work to put the same data on your server, so I suspect it's not going
to be an either/or choice.

I say chuck the printed manual, do CD and host.

YMMV

Another bonus of the web based solution is that you can keep it up to date...

"Vaughn Simon" wrote in message
...


I don't have a lot of experience producing CDs, but I can tell you that generating and posting a .pdf to the Internet
is a 15 minute job. If you don't have the bandwidth on your own site, there are some excellent archive sites (some
free) that you can bookmark from your own webpage. As for generating .pdfs, my HP all-in-one machine does that, or
you can buy any of several $39.95 .pdf suites. Also, I understand that Open Office (free) will generate a .pdf.

This is not a big deal!

Vaughn



It can be a simple as a 'print to .pdf' printer driver: http://www.win2pdf.com/

"RST Engineering" wrote in message ...
SHUUURE Travis.

Ever run a company? Every put a product out? If so, I'll take advice from you.

Produce the CD. Produce the printed manual. Produce the website download. You want to calculate the cost of the
stuff you recommend? More than the cost of producing the print manual to start with.

Jim

--
"If you think you can, or think you can't, you're right."
--Henry Ford


Charge extra for a printed manual. The new HP computer I just bought only includes the most basic set up instructions,
all the detail is either on the hard drive or online. They never even mention paper...

Not necessarily, but I think Richard's suggestions shifts the cost from
the manufacturer to the consumer. I think that's what he was getting at...

Scott


Gig 601XL Builder wrote:
cavelamb himself wrote:



Print your own???


So you think I can print a single copy from a CD cheaper than the maker of
the widget can print 100's?



--
Scott
http://corbenflyer.tripod.com/
Gotta Fly or Gonna Die
Building RV-4 (Super Slow Build Version)

I would LOVE to have a digital copy of the manuals to your products.
That was something that was not provided according to the webpage or the
manuals themselves, even though they clearly were .doc word documents.

You do it, I will buy one for the products of yours I already have.

I am already compiling a complete electronic maintenance and operating
manual for our plane if we ever have to repair it away from home. Carry
it all on a thumbdrive.

Dave

RST Engineering wrote:
Printing costs have been on a steady exponential increase, following right
along with energy costs associated with creating paper from trees, soybean
prices for ink, and all the rest of the process involved with creating paper
manuals.

On the other hand, the price of optical media (DVD and CDROM) is plummeting.
Anybody that has bought any computer electronic device recently soon
discovers that other than the single sheet "quick start" guide, all the rest
of the owner's manual is on CDROM.

I guess the real question is whether a 10-20% bump in the cost of an
aviation electronic product to provide a printed black and white product
manual versus 0% increase for a CDROM that can be done in full living color
is worth it.

(BTW, we can do ALL our manuals on a single CDROM, so you get much more
information on the whole product line than with a single manual.)

Jim

First of all, I don't think I suggested anything that drastic and not much
different than some of the other posts. Why jump all over me?

I merely suggested a well rounded approach that keeps your costs low. You
already suggested doing the CD in place of the printed manual. No problem.
You now obviously have the electronic files that can be easily uploaded to
the web. Minimial cost. I think you can get by without any printed manauls
but if someone insists, charge them.

There are many companies that provide the web hosted manauls only. CDs or
printed copies have to be ordered and sometimes for a fee.

Sounds like good customer service and a good business model to me. And yes,
I have but I'm not claiming to be an expert so it's irrelevant. Just hit the
delete key.

--
-------------------------------
Travis
Lake N3094P
PWK
"RST Engineering" wrote in message
...
SHUUURE Travis.

Ever run a company? Every put a product out? If so, I'll take advice
from you.

Produce the CD. Produce the printed manual. Produce the website
download. You want to calculate the cost of the stuff you recommend? More
than the cost of producing the print manual to start with.

Jim

--
"If you think you can, or think you can't, you're right."
--Henry Ford


"Travis Marlatte" wrote in message
. net...
Full range of offering: Website download (historical and latest) plus a
CD with the product plus an offer of a printed manual for a fee.

Some people prefer to download rather than loading a CD. Plus, when I
reload my computer or buy a new one, I can never find the CD. It's gotta
be on the website.

They can print it themselves (on the office color laser jet for no fee).

For those that are less comfortable, they can order the printed copy from
you.

--
-------------------------------
Travis
Lake N3094P
PWK
"RST Engineering" wrote in message
...
We've been absorbing costs for about five years and just can't afford to
do it any longer. Two choices. Increase price or decrease costs.

For those that require a manual in the airplane, it is cheaper for you
to print it out on your inkjet than for us to use a copy service.

Jim

--
"If you think you can, or think you can't, you're right."
--Henry Ford


"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net wrote in message
...

RST Engineering wrote:

What aviation electronic product has a 10-20% bump in the cost of the
product because they have a manual?

It's not a question of cheaper. It's a question of cost transference. Having
you print it - no matter how expensive - is cheaper for the manufacturer.

--
-------------------------------
Travis
Lake N3094P
PWK
"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net wrote in message
...
cavelamb himself wrote:




Print your own???

So you think I can print a single copy from a CD cheaper than the maker of
the widget can print 100's?

And that is fine but not if he thinks it is better for the consumer than the
manufacture just increasing the price to cover the increased cost. Please
keep one thing in mind though. THe way I read the original post was we were
talking about a item that having the manual in the aircraft was a
requirement.

Scott wrote:
Not necessarily, but I think Richard's suggestions shifts the cost
from the manufacturer to the consumer. I think that's what he was
getting at...
Scott


Gig 601XL Builder wrote:
cavelamb himself wrote:



Print your own???


So you think I can print a single copy from a CD cheaper than the
maker of the widget can print 100's?

But that wasn't really the ORIGINAL question it was a a matter of increasing
the cost of the product or having only an electronic version of the manual.


Travis Marlatte wrote:
It's not a question of cheaper. It's a question of cost transference.
Having you print it - no matter how expensive - is cheaper for the
manufacturer.
cavelamb himself wrote:




Print your own???

So you think I can print a single copy from a CD cheaper than the
maker of the widget can print 100's?

"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net wrote in message
...
cavelamb himself wrote:




Print your own???

So you think I can print a single copy from a CD cheaper than the maker of
the widget can print 100's?

That's not quite the point.

The most common reason stated for not providing a comprehensive manual is
that too many of the customers are not utilizing the manuals. Therefore,
according to the argument, the customers are unwilling to bear the
cost--instead they will purchase a competing product which does not include
that cost; or may simply do without the product.

Therefore, the printable manual is an acceptable compromise for those
customers who demand a printed manual. (Personally, I don't like the result
as well as a bound manual; but it is a usefull compromise most of the time.)

Peter