Railmaster for the Uninitiated

[Fishmanoz]

this one is for you Admin, although others can comment on its worth.

 

I think we are now in a position to be able to give new RM users a pretty complete guide to setting up and getting started.  The content would be:

 

-  My post second in the Majestic with eLink thread, which goes through the basic setup process

 

-  HRMS's post today on drivers in Doing my Head In

 

-  A couple of HRMS posts going back something like 18 months where they go through how to set a loco ID, then a subsequent post later in the same thread specifically on long IDs

 

-  One of AC's posts from last year where he talks about AV protection, how to stop the more intrusive ones and using two freeware programs which do the job well.  

 

It it seems to me that if that info could be assembled into one thread and the thread made sticky, we would have an excellent reference for new users.

 

Admin, would you be able to find and assemble that lot for us, particularly the old HRMS posts on setting ID.

 

What do others think of this idea?

[Fishmanoz]

And I meant for this to go in the RM forum, could you move it please?

[walkingthedog]

Honestly fishy you just can't get the staff can you? 

[RDS]

I agree it is a great idea but I am concerned that it will become cluttered up with non-relevant postings if it open to everyone to contribute.  

I suggest it is locked and members are not able to post to it, unless a contribution is passed by either admin or HRMS support, otherwise it will quickly become full of LD and signalling issues.

[96RAF]

A great idea and it could be made an invaluable live working document.

My 2-pennorth is for someone to write it up in a Wiki and hang a ref to it in the associated manuals.

I did a Wiki-guide to using the Elite with Rocrail in the early days, then I thinned it down in detail as more and more of the details became routine incorporations into the software. It still exists as a link from the main Rocrail Wiki-manual (in umpteen different languages thanks to contributor translations)

The beauty of Wikis is anyone can add or amend in their bit so it doesn't have to be a one person knows all document.

[Fishmanoz]

Honestly fishy you just can't get the staff can you? 

 

My fault entirely.  I'd been in the RM folder and thought I still was when I started the thread.  But I wasn't.

 

Thanks for the support for the idea guys, particularly Admin.  I'm torn between locked and the Wiki idea, not sure how it could be a Wiki and on here.  Moderation before being posted by Admin might be best?

[96RAF]

I'll create the thread and lock it - feedback and additions can then be made by emailing me directly (forum@hornby.com). However, we can always unlock the thread if needed.

 

I wouldn't recommend starting a Wiki page. If we agree that we don't want the thread getting cluttered, a Wiki page could fall victim to something similar (with many edits and unhelpful additions being made).

 

Agreed about the Wiki Admin. Although there is a modicum of control over content you can write up a complete fairy story. 

Have we any firm ideas on how the 'formal' guide would be produced (e.g. from user contributions, collated and written up by someone - volunteer - for final editing within Hornby) and presented presumably for download from the site like any of the other guides.

[Fishmanoz]

Sounds great Adam.

[96RAF]

Agreed . . . way to go.

[GarH]

Yes the instructions in the guide are quite comprehensive but personally when I read them, quite some time ago admittedly, there were a few gaps that needed filling for a complete novice and the guide did, to me, make a lot of assumptions about the readers' knowledge of model railways let alone the computing side.  So good on Fishmanoz for being bold enough to make the suggestion.  By the way Fishie, on a lighter note, is the guy at Admin really called Adam or do you not have your "Spill Chucker" on?

[GarH]

Or, probably, the "Spill Chucker" is changing Admin to Adam? LOL