I agree, I preferred the HTML Service Manual also.

There is zero quality control going on.  The links don't all work and sometimes refer to a local pdf.

Worse the links are ftp:// instead of http:// and so my firewall at work blocks them all.:emotion-12:

All links are connected to the page with first picture above, I don't think it is "quality control" happening, it looks like Dell simply forcing users to deal with PDF files only.

This is better than nothing, some of those pdf files are actually working as html files, not bad after all, however not all manuals are present. But it is ftp, oh well.

This is very strange behavior - I tried to link this ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/ to the phrase above and it doesn't work, search forums function is not working for me as well.

Dell can you please make some type of announcements when there is a problem or maintenance, so inconvenient.

Some Genius decided that The old HTML Structure that (DOES NOT CHANGE) due to the older models not being updated is better with PDF.  Well its not. Furthermore there used to be a way to DOWNLOAD the HTML Locally and use it that way. ALSO there were PDF copies of the Printed BOOKS that they used to include.   This is a HUGE Step Back into the Dark ages and may Drive me to leave the forums for good.    Dell are you Listening????   Whoever this Genius is needs to be Fired.:emotion-12:

Did you said fired, I heard fried - I like it better this way. Dell just make it harder for users to get help. Now it is all about customer care, well for Dell it is clearly opposite - save money, and who cares about those poor souls, they already bought our PCs and etc. I think Dell is just trying to make it simple to post manuals, and save server space or something like this.

Common SpeedStep, you know general rule of Dell Support - is it broken, throw this away and buy a new one, give us [Dell] more your money......

I have nothing much to say.

It is becoming more difficult to find any information, that is a true statement - and I don't think that Dell is listening. I hope Michael Dell can stir and clean this mess, no one else would.

Some Genius decided that The old HTML Structure that (DOES NOT CHANGE) due to the older models not being updated is better with PDF.  Well its not. Furthermore there used to be a way to DOWNLOAD the HTML Locally and use it that way.

ALSO there were PDF copies of the Printed BOOKS that they used to include.   This is a HUGE Step Back into the Dark ages and may Drive me to leave the forums for good.    Dell are you Listening????   Whoever this Genius is needs to be Fired.:emotion-12:

If you try to post a link on the forum that starts ftp://ftp, it won't work...

That's not  Dell's fault. It's a problem with the Telligent software platform running this forum. We've been nagging Telligent to fix that and we hope it will be done in the next software update scheduled for this spring.

In the meanwhile, as a work-around, change ftp://ftp to http://ftp when you insert the link into your post and that will work.

Thanks for input Ron and SpeedStep - this will make our life a bit easier, however the post will remain open, since I started this not to seek an answer, but rather to show my frustration with restructuring of manuals. All my links in previous posts are dead now (the ones I linked to specific places in manuals), and I find myself redoing some of them. Before I could simply save the picture from html manual and posted back or link it, and now I have to open pdf, make a screen shot (print screen, or use grabber), edit it and post it, much more work for much lower quality of pictures. Some pdfs of html manuals look very ugly in this way, etc, etc.

I prefer the html also but we are not going back. All manuals will be PDF going forward. You can embrace the change or choose to not include any links in your post.

That is all what I was expecting to hear. I understand that what ever is done here, most likely will stay, in terms of structuring. I created this post to simply ventilate my feelings. I will definitely adapt to new situation, I actually already did. Do I have a choice? Nope.

Oh well, lets finish it then.

I prefer the html also but we are not going back. All manuals will be PDF going forward. You can embrace the change or choose to not include any links in your post.

[quote user="DELL-Chris M"] I prefer the html also but we are not going back. All manuals will be PDF going forward. You can embrace the change or choose to not include any links in your post.

While I understand Chris that you are not behind the change "You can embrace the change or choose to not include any links"

Is  My way or the Highway hubris.

Foot voting is the ability of people to "vote with their feet" by leaving situations they do not like or going to situations they believe to be more beneficial. If the functionality of the Manuals becomes zero many people will Choose to buy computers from somewhere else AND choose to not recommend Dell.

Hubris often indicates a loss of contact with reality and an overestimation of one's own competence or capabilities, especially when the person exhibiting it is in a position of power.

Death By Hubris?  Catastrophic Decisions That Could Bankrupt Dell.

1.  Messing With Drivers and Downloads to the point of it being Non Functional.

2.  Changing Manuals that were Laid out in HTML for 30 years to PDF and having Zero quality control so that links were either broken or just plain wrong.

3.   Assuming that Reputation doesn't matter and shipping the help to Bangalore Call Centers.

[/quote]

Oh, I just lost my breath.... That is exactly what I was about to say, but due to overall my behavior here I decided not to push my luck.

Nice statement SpeedStep, I really appreciate. This is the real reason why I created this post - lets people state their opinions about what happened.

Please continue to do so.....

Dell-Chris M why are such changes being made?

On one hand Dell seem to be supporting customers and making a number of tutorial videos but on the other hand the drive for change seems to be so much that it is hindering the services that the videos are talking about.

We are getting surveys on Drivers and Downloads and also being asked for suggestions. We make them and very little that we mention has been implemented.

The issues are all software or website related:

Example 1. Reinstallation DVD.

Lovely support video here published on 17/01/2013 Dell Windows 7 DVD Manual installation. Dell are however not shipping any systems with Reinstallation DVDs and the support for obtaining the reinstallation DVDs globally is substandard. Its better in the US than elsewhere but even so things are sliding in the US from what I can see. My poll and all the user comments here with over 100 votes is evidence enough of the bad service Dell are providing with regards to recovery media. Users don't want to call a "Bangalore call centre" to request a Reinstallation DVD they want an online form to request them. Alternatively many want Windows to be downloadable like when purchased as an upgrade from Microsoft but as a direct .iso link. My guide was the only one to circumvent this by recommending retail .isos and phone activation. A problem with this solution was with the faded COAs.

Windows 8 should have fixed this with the new activation but there is no .iso to download unless the user has a TechNet or MSDN account in which case the .iso works, inputs the key from BIOS and activates online.

The popularity of my Reinstallation Guide indicates how many people want to clean install. Also the performance of the clean install compared to the factory settings in many cases are significant.

Example 2. Drivers and Downloads.

Again a support video here published on 28/01/2013 Downloading and Installing Drivers in the Correct order. Yet I have seen more broken links this year and the end of last than all my time on the Dell Community. The Service Tags haven't worked correctly for a large number of systems for over a year. My guide was the only guide to explicitly tell the user to circumvent inputting of the Service Tag because half the drivers would be missing or wrong. When drivers and downloads had almost every single link down again my guide was the only one to circumvent it and to mention the Dell FTP website.

The Dell FTP website is a step in the correct direction. It needs to have in addition separate pages for each OS and the drivers need to be listed in the correct install order with variants marked. preferably with a note saying what hardware IDs each driver covers.

It is much faster to download the drivers from the Dell FTP website than on Drivers and Downloads which has so many unnecessary mouse clicks on the rare day it works.

The manuals in the Dell FTP website should be separated by language and then be available in both HTML and PDF format opposed to a PDF print of a HTML manual often with broken hyperlinks.

Example 3. Creating Recovery Media

Again a Support Video here published on 28/02/2013 How to Make Dell Windows 7 System Recovery Media and How to Make Windows 8 Recovery Media. Yet I have seen a large number of users have problems with this program, where the Dell program doesn't detect the USB flash drive or recovery DVDs. This in combination to the difficulty of case 1 is dreadful. My guide again had to circumvent this by recommending use of Acronis. The recovery media does not offer a means to clean install either. i.e. install especially without McAfee.

Also recovering from the media produced. I have seen so many times users burn recovery DVDs and to attempt a restore and to find out they are completely corrupt. As such I recommended never to use DVDs for recovery. Unless users can burn a single DVD and use it for clean installation i.e. OS only. this again combined with problem 1 is awful.

Example 4. Windows 7 Availability or Windows 8 Professional with Downgrade Rights Availability 

Many users want Windows 7 but buy Windows 8 because they can't get Windows 7 and hate it. the reviews for the XPS 8500 and Inspiron 660 indicate this. Many users would of been happier to purchase Windows 8 professional with Downgrade Rights to Windows 7 professional.

Dell used to offer this with Windows Vista Business and XP Professional or Windows 7 Professional and Windows Vista Business or Windows XP Professional.

I still think Dell should negotiate with Microsoft to offer a Windows 7 home Premium OEM downgrade pack to users who bought a system with Windows 8 (standard) for a price lower than a full license.

As SpeedStep mentioned, if Dell are making these changes that are completely detrimental for users, then they will choose with their feet.

The hardware is good but the software services are lacking (in particular from what they used to be).

I've found some ways around it as mentioned in my guides but I'm still not entirely happy and neither are many customers.

All,

They do not tell us why changes are made. They don't even give us warning. Like you, I went to the monitor manuals, all PDFs. I was just as surprised. After 15 years here, I have to pick my fights carefully.