What was the hardest part about learning to use FME?

I can't remember when I started using FME (it was somewhere between 1998 and 2003), and there have been lots of improvements in the intervening years (Decades?!), but one of the things I had problems with that I see new users still struggling with is the concept of feature types, how they differ between file-based formats and folder-based formats, and the implications that has on dynamic writers and fanouts.

I started in 2000 and had a hard time with the case-sensitivity in the FME files (using a text editor).

I don't know of any difficulties --- It's FLAWLESS! :) Just kidding, I have been in FME for almost 20 years now and did not have workbench when I started. That might make it a bit unfair because once I had an interface it became much more dangerous.

That being said --

The issue I have always had training a new user is There's not a tool, defined path, right \\ wrong way to do anything there are just better, faster or even just different ways to accomplish literally everything in FME.

I try to get new users to "visualize" what is happening between the reader and the writer and getting them to think at a "step-by-step" approach on how to accomplish a task. A lot of time we use the annotation and bookmarks to start defining \\ designing the workflow. If you can get them to accomplish their first task on their own normally they are off and running for basic tasks. It then becomes showing them that there are more tools than just bufferer, merger, tester, etc. and show them the rich set of tools such as network analysis, topology, !!!!!LISTS!!!!!, JSON \\ XML manipulation.

The hardest part is that it is so flexible and many ways to accomplish the same task. It would be great to see more visual examples in the help document to understand the correct syntax.

For me the hardest part was remembering the transformers names, but after a decade of FME use, I kind of know them... :)

Except some of the names I remember changed years ago, and the coops look at me funny when I tell them to use a transformer like the pointConnector.

It took me years to remember that to make a line I had to use a PointConnector, it finally sunk in and then they changed the name (not that it matters since it will let you choose a PointConnector and then place the LineBuilder on the canvas).

I wonder if there's anyone out there who still has a Grepper in a workspace