RE: Documenting visible/invisible fields?

["Wilcox, Rose (ZB5646)" <Rose -dot- Wilcox -at- pinnaclewest -dot- com>]

<<
>
>In the reference manual that I have
>inherited, every field is listed and
>described in detail. Given the changeable
>nature of the interface, how would you
>document the fields?
>
>>
This type of reference manual is a waste of paper and writer resources.  I
can't think of one type of audience that would regularly use such a manual.
Even programmers would probably simply figure out the information from the
interface and/or code rather than looking up the field in a manual.  There
is rarely any need on a user level for such detailed knowledge.  You owe it
to your employer to tally up the cost of the production vs. the actual use
of the manual.  If the employer or the clients still insist on the document
just because they are used to it, then you must update it, of course.  
The way I would update it would depend a lot on the inherited manual, the
interface itself, and which method would save me time.  Cynically, since I
don't see many users reading this type of manual, I would tend to do that
method which made me look good... got done and got the information in and
accurate, if I were forced to update such a manual.  




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