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Subject:Re: Online help for Linux application? From:Megan Golding <mgolding -at- secureworks -dot- net> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:23 Jan 2002 13:23:15 -0500
John Cornellier asked about delivering online help for an app running on
Linux.
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John,
Depending on the application, you have several options: HTML help,
native help (like WinHelp), and PDF. You alluded to all three in your
request. I suggest you check out the GNOME Help Browser:
Unlike Windows, Linux desktop software is split pretty much into two
camps: GNOME and KDE. There isn't really a parallel in the Windows world
to it. I've used GNOME exclusively.
As long as the app runs on the GNOME desktop only, the GNOME help
browser will be your best bet. I know that KDE has a similar help
browser, but cannot find a link to information.
If the app you're writing for can be run under either desktop (and it
probably will, unless you're creating a GNOME- or KDE-specific app), you
should probably consider HTML help.
You seem concerned about the nav system in HTML help. Might I suggest
DocBook? When output to HTML, I get nice navigation for "next" "back"
and "table of contents". Check out http://people.atl.mediaone.net/meggolding/docbook/learningdb.html for an
example of the navigation DocBook output can generate automatically.
Coincidentially, the link is also a document I wrote when learning
DocBook. The beauty of the whole system is that you can concentrate on
content totally independently of presentation. I find I get projects
done a lot faster this way.
Good luck! Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Meg
--
Megan Golding (mgolding -at- secureworks -dot- net)
SecureWorks, Inc.
Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.
-- Timothy Leary
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