tutorial in PDF

[LCHIEN]

I wrote a tutorial on handscrew clamps.
I see its been viewed 183 times.
Because the tutorial used a lot of pictures, I wrote the original in Word. To enter the entire article into the tutorial directly, it would have had to be reformatted by cut and paster, and I would have had to load the pictures one-by one scattered in the text which is laborious. So I just placed a PDF of the Word file and the text of the tutorial is to click on the PDF file to download and view it. Very simple, I thought.

The PDF file has only been downloaded 51 times of the 183 accesses.

So why is there this disparity? Had you been expecting to read a tutorial you would have read at least a few lines, had you gone that far.

Is clicking the PDF link too hard...?
Do you not have a PDF reader app? (Ipads, I guess not).
Is this a bad way of posting a tutorial?
or???

[Black wallnut]

Two guesses, first some viewed it before the attachment showed up. Second folks have gone back and reviewed comments.

[Bill in Buena Park]

Loring, I'm one of the 51 downloads, and thank you for the article. I wasn't sure I would download at first, thinking "its good to know this is here, and maybe I'll open it later" - but curiosity got the better of me.

[cabinetman]

I wrote a tutorial on handscrew clamps.
I see its been viewed 183 times.
Because the tutorial used a lot of pictures, I wrote the original in Word. To enter the entire article into the tutorial directly, it would have had to be reformatted by cut and paster, and I would have had to load the pictures one-by one scattered in the text which is laborious. So I just placed a PDF of the Word file and the text of the tutorial is to click on the PDF file to download and view it. Very simple, I thought.

The PDF file has only been downloaded 51 times of the 183 accesses.

So why is there this disparity? Had you been expecting to read a tutorial you would have read at least a few lines, had you gone that far.

Is clicking the PDF link too hard...?
Do you not have a PDF reader app? (Ipads, I guess not).
Is this a bad way of posting a tutorial?
or???

There are a lot of "could be's". It's understandable why a PDF would be used. It's likely that the reasons are the same for many "views", and very little responses. It's not that it's so hard to click, but whether to click at all. It's very similar to a post where many view, and only a few, and sometimes nobody replies. At the end of the post by scrolling down to the area called "Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread", members who are viewing the thread are listed. Maybe contacting them and asking why they didn't respond to the thread would be helpful in determining what threads they will respond to. Or, what was it about the content that they found not worthwhile enough to respond to, or even to say thank you for going to the trouble.

Maybe in this case some members just aren't into handscrew clamps, and just read the post. Others decided to respond to just details about handscrew clamps. Maybe the thought of having to get involved in a long detailed expose in a PDF form was a bit much. Maybe they didn't have the time at the moment, and will go back at a later time so they can concentrate on the details of a PDF.

What would be interesting would be to get feedback on those that read a thread, and don't have any response, when they post their own thread (if they ever do) and there is very little activity if any. For those who do post, it's an incentive to do so if there is some kind of feedback.

.

[greenacres2]

Now it's at least 52...and after reading it on Friday, i ordered my first 2 (the 8" from Rockler at $6 each). It's tough to look a a tool sometimes and envision how it's used without having seen it used or seeing something like this tutorial. Thanks!!!

Oops...Maybe it's still 51--i just looked at the open folders on my taskbar and the handscrew tutorial is one of them!! Can't hurt to have two copies i guess

earl

[NewDIYer]

Just downloaded..

Loring,

I just downloaded. I will go through this tutorial.

From what I see, this is extremely well done. Great job!

Baxi

[pelligrini]

Black Walnut is probably right on the additionsl visits by folks looking at new posts, I bet the folks who check the website on a phone won't download a PDF either.

[jking]

I'm pretty sure I read the post, saw the size of the pdf file & came back to it later. I also came back at least once to read the comments on the review.

For what you were doing, a pdf is at least a good way, if not one of the best ways to format the review.

[Eric]

clicking the link is too hard. especially when there wasn't a link to click.