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Subject:Re: Baiting for the single source rant From:"Michael West" <mbwest -at- bigpond -dot- net -dot- au> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 6 Sep 2001 23:24:32 +1000
Mike Stockman wrote:
> The flow and organization of online help is different from that
> of print documentation, but the same information can be contained by
> both, if you do it right.
>
> Don't trash an entire publishing method by the examples of how badly
> people can screw it up. You might as well make the argument that because
> some modular software crashes constantly, modular software development
> can't possibly work well.
I'd certainly second all of that. I have never read a convincing
(or even coherent) argument to the effect that online help and
a printed user guide are significantly different in content or purpose.
What is different between them is mostly meta-text, navigational
aids, and granularity (topics merged into chapters, with added
introductory material, for example.) Obviously the notion of "context
sensitivity" makes little sense in print, as well, although it has
analogues in the careful use of index pointers and cross-references.
If single-sourcing means "identical content, no modifications",
then of course it's a lame idea. But if it means "common source
documents, with modifications that capitalize on the presentational
differences between print and hypertext", then it is a sound concept
and a worthy goal (while remaining always an elusive ideal).
A landmark hotel, one of America's most beautiful cities, and
three and a half days of immersion in the state of the art:
IPCC 01, Oct. 24-27 in Santa Fe. http://ieeepcs.org/2001/
+++ Miramo -- Database/XML publishing automation. See us at +++
+++ Seybold SFO, Sept. 25-27, in the Adobe Partners Pavilion +++
+++ More info: http://www.axialinfo.comhttp://www.miramo.com +++
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