Bill Myers

I wonder what the company that sells this $300 product is thinking. Don't they realize that most of their customers won't have a clue?

This week I purchased a software package that came with the following installation instructions:

1. Create database and roll sql file from sql folder
2. Edit database info in conf/config.inc
3. chmod cache folder to 777 (world-writable)
4. Edit $libpath variable in inc/prepend file

Clear as mud, right?

I wonder what the company that sells this $300 product is thinking. Don't they realize that most of their customers won't have a clue what the instructions mean?

Customers who buy the product will likely have three reactions.

First, they will be disappointed they can't immediately use the product.

Second, they will be angry the company didn't provide better instructions for getting started with the product.

And third, they will most likely call the company and ask for a refund or demand customer support.

Obviously, these are not the reactions of satisfied customers.

Customers who buy your products expect to be able to use them. Businesses that fail to recognize this will not have many repeat customers, and probably won't be in business long.