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Subject:re: Documentation on the Web From:"Christensen, Kent" <lkchris -at- sandia -dot- gov> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 25 Jan 2002 07:26:16 -0700
re: I was wondering if anyone can recommend web sites to look at for ideas
on placing documentation on the web. We are trying to place documentation
updates on the web in PDF or some other type of format. (Julie Nelson)
Placing "documentation" on the Web is like placing anything else on the Web.
Therefore, any list of general tips will generally serve, including those at http://www.useit.com/alertbox/ and especially the article there "Avoid PDF
for On-screen Reading."
First thing to decide is if your main goal is just to provide a file
transfer mechanism--that is, your users will simply print the
"documentation" and read from printed matter--or whether users will indeed
perform tasks or learn while reading from the screen. PDF is a great file
transfer mechanism, but HTML is the way to go if material will mostly be
read from the screen. <grin>Use Verdana font for screen reading, use Times
for printed matter.</grin> Make smaller "chunks" for screen reading than
you do for printing. If you think your users will do both, make HTML pages
with "printer-friendly version" links, i.e., do it right the first time.
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