Steinberg,
Your products are wonderful and super deep, which is why your recent choice of excluding printed manuals is shocking. I need a printed manual and request that you make them available once again.
Yes I know the help file, and I know I could read on a digital device, but that isn’t comfortable for me- I like to have a book I can lug around and read without sitting in front of a screen.
Thanks
Have a look at the many other posts on this subject on this forum, and the old forum.
The ‘Documentation’ thread here is a good place to start.
I would also benefit from a printed manual and have been disappointed with Steinberg’s approach to documentation, particularly with Wavelab 7. In the case of Wavelab 7, I found the “Wavelab 7 Power!” book helpful. I purchased it from Amazon. Certainly not a replacement for a product manual. But it helps with the bigger picture concepts, that you can’t glean from task-specific, on-line help sections.
I’m still disappointed that a $500 piece of software for pro users doesn’t come with a printed manual. I used Bias Peak for 10 or so years and every major revision came with a printed manual. I was thrilled to have the chance to use Wavelab on the Mac but remain shocked that a printed manual has never been made.
Yes, I bought tutorials and guides but that isn’t the point. Steinberg should properly document how the program works because they aren’t selling a $50 iapp they are selling a professional software to businessess and professionals.
Think about it. Does a pro just throw their film mix or audio files at a client and say “see-ya good luck, we got your money…?”. Or does a pro communicate with their clients and enable them to achieve their goals. That is what a manual is for! It shows mutual respect to your end user that their time is valued and that the developer wants a long term relationship with their customer not just a quick sale with minimal overhead.
It seems that Steinberg has abandoned this whole line of thought and will not be making any concessions on it. WL7 has been out almost a year and if we have had no indication after all this time that something would be offered - there isn’t anything coming.
I still cringe inside every time I open this app - since I pretty much always feel like I am riding by the seat of my pants with no knowledge whatsoever as to what I am doing.
Since I cannot properly understand/study the “7” concept due to no documentation - I have now resorted to memorize the workflows that I need and do not deviate from them. God forbid that I use that Window Switcher or some other doodad - every time I touch something - it totally trashes my existing workspace - so now I just stick to what I know - do my stuff and exit as quick as possible.
VP