I just purchased RSD and I am a little upset at the lack of a User Guide or QuickStart Guide, or Video Tutorials. I have only found scattered bits and pieces of useful information or Q&A on this forum. I wish I would have known this before I bought the software.

Learning responsive design can take a little time to master. But we have a bunch of articles on RSD to help you get more familiar with how this app works. Our Quick Start Guide is very helpful when getting started. We also have a new step-by-step tutorial which will walk you through transforming a static site to a responsive one that is perfect when you are just starting out.

http://www.coffeecup.com/help/articles/1430

I would love to know your thought process here Jay on why you think we have no documentation when there is actually quite a lot available. What specifically are you looking for that you could not find?

I guess my expectation was that a released piece of software would have a corresponding User Guide under the help menu, like Visual Site Designer. Instead, what I find is a series of links with some helpful information but generally lost within a lot of promotional text. Why do I have to work so hard just to figure out how to use it?

Adding to this, and since you asked, after purchasing RSD I got so frustrated I asked for help. I got a response from someone with a coffeecup.com address that offered to convert my existing site for X$, as an "introductory price with a discount", but he would reduce that fee by giving me credit for a RSD purchase.

When I replied that I has just purchased RSD 3 days ago, he replied that the credit would only count for the next purchase and I was reminded that this deal was really good and would not be around for long.

That's my feedback.

What you are asking for, we do have Jay, and it is found right under the Help Menu. It is also way more comprehensive that VSD ever had.

Our Quick Start Guide is very helpful when getting started, but you do have to invest time into reading through all articles so that you get a good grasp of how things work. RSD takes some commitment on your part but in the end it totally pays off.

Don't forget about the new step-by-step tutorial which will walk you through transforming a static site to a responsive one. If you are looking for a "help guide", that article is one of the best places to start.

If you are stuck on something specific, outline what you need help with, and we can point you in the right direction. If you want to share a link to your website with the group here, I am sure many of us can give you some pointers on how to get started. That is what we are here for.

OK, Ill ask other users what they think of the RSD User Guide. Maybe I'm just not getting it. I'm a product designer, not a web designer so any help would be appreciated. www.jwilsondesign.com

Jay,

RSD is a great piece of software but like Scott said it does have a learning curve. (Commitment)

I looked at your website and would like to make a couple of comments.

Readability is very important and a dark background with white text is not all that readable. Light or white background with dark or black text is the easiest to read.

Your menu buttons are extra hard to read with the red text so try white text with a clean font like Arial or Verdana.

Your portfolio page looks good with the gray background behind the 'pictures'. That's one place that a darker background is OK as it will make the pictures stand out.

The people in this forum are willing to help when you have questions, just ask. We're all over the world so you may have to wait a day for an answer.

if have the html editor and basically use it for a small (5 pages) club website. Always coded simple html with links.

Downloaded RSD to look at it. Could I make my 5 pages look better? Picked an image at random and tried to drag/drop onto the picture placeholder. Didn't work. Tried to create an element and resize with a mouse. Oh boy - no chance.

Checked the help guides. I guess as an extensive design guide they might be some use. I was really just looking for something to create my first page.

Anyway. Gave up. Uninstalled. Leave it hand coded. Maybe visual design is not for me.

You are using RSD in a way it is not designed to be Stephen. You do not drag and drop images into RSD or try and resize them with a mouse. These two specific things you mentioned we have covered in great detail in the provided documentation. We even have an article just on how to work with the Picture Element showing how to add an image and configure it so that it is a fully responsive image.

http://www.coffeecup.com/help/articles/ … e-element/

Again, RSD requires that you put in a bit of work and try to use the software and read all the articles we have made available. If reading to learn how to use a program is not your thing, RSD just will not work for you. It is a complex program that produces some amazing things. If you just jump right it without any knowledge at all, it will just be an uphill battle for you the entire way.

I did not have a lot of time to spend on this, but I emailed you directly a project file of your first page done in RSD. It is just a rough draft but should be enough to get you on your way.

About 10 years ago (maybe even longer) before I started looking at software I would start reading at page 1 and keep the pdf open in one window. My expectations have been changed. What with mobile operating systems and the change of software design language I just expect stuff to work out of the box - just type what you want, drop some pictures in the place you want it, and you have something rough to just have an idea of what something can do.