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I've recently started a new job in which I am documenting software for
programmers. It's Java with SQL Server at the back end. I don't really know
anything about this stuff and would really enjoy a focused discussion among
those of you who might be documenting for a programming audience.
Among my questions:
1. Are there any particular references or resources out there? I have found
just one book on guidelines for creating documentation on a program's system
architecture. (Sorry I can't remember the name, but its author is somebody
Ayers. I ordered it today at work. If anybody's interested, I'll locate the
name tomorrow)
1. What are the key elements to a systems manual -- what might a typical
outline look like?
2. Just what is a functional spec and what should it include?
3. What is data mapping and object mapping? You can look it up on the
Internet but you need to know Java to understand what you find.
4. What about "entity relationship diagrams?" How might you construct
one?54. Is anybody out there using JavaDoc?
6. What about the creation of structure diagrams and flowcharts? Are all
those thousands of symbols in Visio really meaningful??? -- and if so, to
whom?