RE: huh?

[John Posada <JPosada -at- book -dot- com>]

There are times when it is not intuitive when something can be done and when
it doesn't do any good.

I'm testing some software with an eye toward purchase. It lists for about
$4,000....yes, I expect better documentation on an application that lists
for 4k rather than 199.00 A user (at least this user) needed to be informed
that a different set of commands where available when I right clicked on the
empty space in an ERD display.

Should a user be instructed on how to right click? No. Should a user be
instructed on WHEN to right click? Yes

John Posada
Senior Technical Writer
Barnes&Noble.com
jposada -at- book -dot- com
212-414-6656
icq: 178047452
aim: jposada1
"There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream
of things that never were, and ask why not?"
-----Robert Francis Kennedy, 1968 presidential campaign



> "Mark Baker" <> wrote in message news:197380 -at- techwr-l -dot-  -dot-  -dot- 
> > 
> > The myth of the ignorant editor and the myth of the ignorant writer are
both
> > derived from the myth of the ignorant user. I'm not convinced it had
merit
> > even in the days when a high percentage of users were ignorant. But the
> > period in which the ignorant user was the norm has certainly passed.
> 
> I agree. There is absolutely no reason specialized software documentation
> should have basic Windows user-interface instructions. If user's don't
know how
> to right-click, then send them a copy of that video professor. No
technical
> writer at a software firm should be documenting at that low of a level.
> 

Unfortunately, these interfaces tend to be exceedingly 
idiosyncratic, as standard rules cannot be enforced. (One 
would hope that good user interface practices would be, 
but trust me, that's usually a vain and idle hope :-> ) 
There are interfaces where the fields and menus change names 
depending on a previous choice, where buttons change function 
sometimes without changing names, installation screens are 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Order RoboHelp X3 in May and receive a $100 mail-in rebate, PLUS
free RoboScreenCapture and WebHelp Merge Module. 
 
Order RoboHelp today: http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l

ATTENTION FrameMaker Users:  Fill-out the following survey 
to receive a chance to win a FREE RoboScreenCapture. 
 
FM users only please: http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-2

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.