What should go into the IMatch FAQ?

[Mario]

I'm currently updating some sections of my web site and one of the new things will be an IMatch Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
I've already compiled about 25 questions and answers from my daily support emails...

...but I would like to learn what YOUR initial questions where when you were introduced to IMatch.
What caused problems? Where did you spend too much time? What would be the questions you have asked at that stage?
Let me know below. Thank you!

[JohnZeman]

When I first started using IMatch, I think it was back in 2006, my questions at the time were mainly about how do I want to organize my digital photos?

That soon led to the 5W (Who, What, When, Where, and Why) conclusion that I'm basically still using today.

Another question that came later for me would be something like "I shoot raw but I optimize my raw images as JPGs or TIFFs, can IMatch keep the Raw and JPG images together?"

[Ger]

When I started using IMatch (also around 2006), my questions concentrated around metadata. Back then it was about important fields, IPTC, Exif etc. Today something around XMP for RAW versus embedded in TIF or JPG.
Actually, a lot of questions for me were not be about IMatch directly, but about everything around it: workflow organization, naming conventions, structures etc. Once you've figured out that, IMatch has the options to support you there.

Some other  topics:
- IMatch and IMatch anywhere
- licensing and update policy. Free intermediate updates
- (hardware) requirements
- performance tips (hardware, but especially setup of virus-checkers)
- debug logging / reporting a bug
- configuration options

Going to the program itself, probably an idea to have separate paragraphs: file window, people (face recognition), events, timeline, map/gps, application development...

ger

[sinus]

Boah, over 20 years ago ... 

I had at that time an other DAM (Extensis Portfolio), for me was important, how does IMatch with keywords.
And how quick is IMatch.
And is IMatch after one year not more on the market and what then? 
Is it complicated to organize images?

After I had decided on IMatch, the most important question was, how do I organize the whole structure with categories and collections, for what do I use all the collections, the pins, dots and so on, for what could I use them?
And how can I export my selected images easy into documents like word to be able, quickly and easy sending images to my friends and clients.

And I think, much more, but well, 20 years ago ... 

[Aubrey]

Hierarchical keywording and categories... when to use each was confusing for me for a while.

Aubrey

[ben]

Good morning,

in general i would like to say, that the iMatch help file is really really good and always up to date.
I started working with iMatch with v5.

Most of my questions were around working with the metadata panel and keyword panel, e.g.:
- When do i have to press the green hook ("save the changes back ...") and when the yellow pencil.

When i learned more about exif data and started to use the EXIF command processor, i was often wondering "how do the variable names or short codes from iMatch relate to the signal names that exiftool returns"

Ben

[DigPeter]

Like other posters I think the main problem area is metadata.  The novice can find it difficult to get their head around the relationship of categories, @keywords/hierarchical keywords and thesaurus.

[mopperle]

Like other posters I think the main problem area is metadata.  The novice can find it difficult to get their head around the relationship of categories, @keywords/hierarchical keywords and thesaurus.

+1

Additionally something like "best practice" for newbies
- how to organize or maybe reorganize your files on your PC
- do you have an existing file/folder structure?
- do you start from scratch
- working with NAS and/or external drives
- ToDo's and NOT ToDo's

[Jingo]

Been a long time since I started using IMatch over my last Dam (Thumbsplus!) but for me, the biggest challenge was the metadata and preferences... the implications of changing them and how they impact metadata updates both within the catalog and within the files.

[Tveloso]

Additionally something like "best practice" for newbies
- how to organize or maybe reorganize your files on your PC
- do you have an existing file/folder structure?
- do you start from scratch
- working with NAS and/or external drives
- ToDo's and NOT ToDo's

+1

A general "best practices" user guide would be great.

There's already plenty of general guidance in the help (the Metadata for beginners topic - particularly the Problems and pitfalls section there), and there have been several "what is your workflow" type discussions, and other advice here ("start slow", "don't use the advanced features right away", "many features are for a specific type of user", etc.)...but it might be nice to have all of that in a single User Guide...

[Mario]

This is a FAQ.
Usually consisting of a question with a one sentence answer. Maybe two sentences.

This is not the place for lengthy explanations, know-how articles, best practices discussions or similar.
There are plenty of those on the net already. Every photography web site and YouTuber has stuff on that.

The Metadata for Beginners topic already covers many of the questions about metadata asked above, including things like "Which tags to fill" or "Categories vs. Keywords". I have linked to that topic in several FAQ entries, which should do it.