* Usability of FH with/without the Book

[themoudie]

Aye Adrian and Mike,

Mike Gordon wrote: "However, when the programme package is advertised for sale, I think there should be a note to say that the buyer may find the programme difficult to use without also buying the book."

Adrian Bruce wrote: "Absolutely not intending any criticism of anyone, but in the interest of balance and anyone coming to see this thread later, I think it important to point out that others may find completely the opposite. I suspect that the difference between those who take to FH like a duck to water (myself, e.g.) and those who have to work at it, may be something to do with their analytical nature. I was hopeless at history at school (so why am I doing this as a hobby?) because I simply had to learn lists of facts. I was great at maths because all I ever learnt was the bare bones and I constructed everything in an exam from them. I loved FH from when I first opened it (well, mostly...) but when I trialled FTM (years ago) at the same time, I wept tears of frustration over it because although each view and button was powerful, I couldn't work out which to use without just memorising the stuff.

Your mileage will vary - that's what makes User Interface design so - err - interesting."

And Mike Tate wrote: "This is purely subjective, but I get the feeling that users who start out with FH are fine, whereas users who migrate from other products have more difficulties assimilating FH, perhaps because they come with preconceived concepts that are understandably difficult to ditch."

I found the data entry into FH fine with v2.3, but as the 'options' have increased with each update I have become more intimidated to enter data and whilst I appreciate and wish to use AS v5.2.0 I have developed a block about entering any data for fear of it not being "right"!

In my past life mapping and diagnosing soils in the field; after 6 months I could get by, after 2 years I was competent and after 20 years I was still learning. The same pattern applied when using GIS packages to create and illustrate my survey findings, but only competent in the parts of the software I regularly used.

I agree with Adrian when he says "I suspect that the difference between those who take to FH like a duck to water (myself, e.g.) and those who have to work at it, may be something to do with their analytical nature." Maths was a blind area for me, logic and algebra? But where multiple factors produce "grey areas" or soils e.g. climate, topography, geology, biological and human modification and then having to "think" in 3D beneath the surface vegetation so as to diagnose the soil characteristics and or genealogical links was and is a delight.

Starting out with FH v2.3 was limited but fine, albeit labourious; but at least I had an idea what I was doing and could "see" the genealogical links. FH v6.2 enables a greater diversity of individual "visions" to be acheived and AS v5.2.0 makes that "easier" still, if I can pluck up the courage. But, it isn't comprehensible unless you understand the coding and therein lies the problem; I think.

Logic and algebra, plus this quote from Adrian's paragraph sums up my problem with FH v6.2 + AS v5.2.0, "I wept tears of frustration over it because although each view and button was powerful, I couldn't work out which to use without just memorising the stuff.", or writing it on a bit of paper!

My regards, Bill

[DavidNewton]

I am not sure how you want this discussion to proceed as your opening post raises a number of questions. I came to FH via PAF, Legacy, FTM and Roots Magic. My file has been through all of these so you can imagine what a mess it is in places. I settled on FH because the Plugins offer 'simple' access to the underlying data file. Of course to make use of it yourself there is of necessity a learning curve. However, any member of this forum will tell you that if you make a well-defined request for help with a plugin then it will be forthcoming.

[tatewise]

Bill, sorry, but you posting was nothing to do with Regular Expressions nor Lua Patterns so I have renamed it, and deleted your original posting under that subject.

[ColeValleyGirl]

FH was my first and only genealogy database, and I'm with Adrian: I've never opened the book or the sample project, just explored the features via help as I've needed things and worked stuff out from scratch.

But, as I've said on here before, everybody has different learning styles. In some spheres, mine is learning-by-reading but in this one it's learning-by-doing. Others will prefer learning-by-being-shown or being told in exhaustive detail to do something with every t crossed and i dotted and possible highway and byway explored. I find both those approaches a total turn-off but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with them.

I thunk the most important thing to remember is that doing it 'wrong' isn't a disaster. (A) there is no single right way to do things; and (B) there are always ways with FH to change what you've done if you decide you want to do so.

[LornaCraig]

For me, too, FH has been my only genealogy program. I chose it because of the interactive nature of the diagrams and the ability to build sections of a tree by 'drawing' them. From the start I used the 'drag-and-drop' method to add people to a tree and have continued to do so, hardly ever using the Focus window which was a later introduction.

Beyond that I had no particular expectations about what a genealogy program might be able to do, but I realised I might be missing a lot so I did spend time reading the original book so that I was aware of what could be done. For me that was the main role of the book. That was very useful, but thereafter I relied on the Help files to refresh my memory of how to do things. There are some features I still don't use, but knowing those features are available is important.

With any complex software it's difficult to strike a balance between making users aware of the possibilities and overwhelming them with those possibilities.

[themoudie]

Aye Mike,

No need to apologise about moving the post and deleting the original, thank you for sorting it to suit the forum.

Thank you also to the other respondents to my late night "download", it had been a along evening, with the FH Book and software and my brain hurt!

Knowing your goal before starting (difficult with genealogy!), then accepting that there is more than one way to acheive that goal and that your assumed method is not the best or not possible, can knock your confidence to experiment with the software.

This forum, with your stalwart input, can provide that warm blanket of confidence to use the software and possibly to tinker with it once you can walk!

My regards, Bill

[gwilym'smum]

I too have only ever had FH. I purchased it when it first came out. I read about it then but after that I have experimented. I did take a couple of years off when I was not well and it did seem to get a bit more complex. I have the current book, however, I still experiment as I might look up something and use it for one particular subject but might not want to use that again and by then I have forgotten what I did in the first place, for example at one time I could make a basic (very basic) query but now I really wouldn't know where to start. I think it is called old age. I only scratch the surface of it's use, mainly because I keep full paper files, but that is the beauty of FH you can use it at any level. You can also organize the sources and media to you own way.
Ann

[AnneEast]

I came to FH from Ultimate Family Tree. I chose that because it was recommended by a computer magazine. It was an OK start but had problems and eventually became unstable. I chose FH because it is 'British authoured' and started on the learning curve again. I used the Sample Tree and worked through the stages shown with the people provided until I was reasonably confident then introduced my Gedcom to FH. It was 'OK' although I'm sure there were problems but at least all my people came in!

Over the years FH has become my friend BUT I still only use it in a very basic way compared to the super heros on here! I'm happy though and everything works. I know if I have a query help is at hand on here.
Anne

[rodit]

I went to FH3 after PAF 'died'. I have upgraded as upgrades came along and also use AS.
I downloaded the v. 5 book but rarely use it. I don't think that I have even looked at the Sample family.
I potter along, missing obvious things (viz. my last post regards Ancestors), but generally everyone is in his or her right place, with as much info. as I can find.

I have learnt to create queries (albeit fairly simple ones), but Plugins are literally a foreign language. This is when one uses the knowledge and computer skills of Tatewise and his fellow wizards. (I did some coding on a Commodore 64 but that was long ago!)

I have a copy of FTM, which I use for some different charts, but find that the diagram facility of FH surpasses anything there. I tend to use the diagrams most of the time. To each his own.

This forum is invaluable and I have found that asking or reading others answers many problems, in addition to pointing out features that would have stayed hidden

Regards

Roger

[davidm_uk]

When starting out with my genealogy adventure I only had a quick look at a few other products before settling on FH. I have no regrets.

I've downloaded the v5 book, but only use it for reference, likewise the Knowledge Base. I have no intention of reading them from end to end.

What I regularly (almost daily) do is to read through all new posts in here and, like Roger, have found that a valuable source of information, particularly in answering questions that I would never of thought of asking, and I have many threads bookmarked. I keeping up with these forums I've learnt a lot more than I would ever have done just by (boringly) reading "the book".