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Interesting. You may have hit on something Eric in trying to define modular documentation. I hope I'm not coming totally from some other planet here but here is MY impression of modular documentation.
I was first introduced to what was called modular documentation when I did InfoMapping in my first writing gig. That worked on the concept of writing in "chunks" of information. Now, I am also doing what they call modular documentation in XML. I write (until Monday) in Arbortext Epic Editor and use SigmaLink as the Electronic Document Management System (EDMS). All the topics and subtopics are broken up into "chunks" of information and written into Document Type Definitions (DTDs). The finished products, or chapters and topics are now in modules and containers. They are then linked together into a manual and previewed into a PDF document and sent out to the field electronically. These "chunks" or modules can be reused and linked to other manuals. Does this help or is everyone just confused on a higher level now?