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Re: Documenting installers: the whole trivial truth
Subject:Re: Documenting installers: the whole trivial truth From:shankAtIndiaDotcom <ss_rajanala -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 19 May 2004 23:52:07 -0700 (PDT)
Call them lowest common denominators or
literal-minded readers: the question is, how are
they to know that you 'glossed over' the welcome
screen and license? When there is a mismatch
between the book and the screen, specially with
regard to installation - which is a high-stakes
game - one would be extremely cautious.
The welcome dialog is also a point where you
could remind users once again to stop all other
programs, something most installers recommend.
> not--therefore, they can be easily
> confused if something they encounter doesn't
> match the documentation.
Confused is fine; but if they start wondering if
the guide is written by a careless person, you
are done for :-)
> "Know your audience," I
> should provide extreme hand-holding if that's
All assumptions regarding audience are
speculative; know thy audience is a big myth:
what does one know really? That they are all
doctors, or legal workers, or field engineers.
Within each group, there may be some who like
holding hands, some who wish to gloss over it and
get to serious things.
> by such a simple thing. But
> that is mere speculation on my part, and I
> suppose I should be catering to
> the lowest common denominator.
Alas, we are doomed to represent all there is on
screen however trivial, in this tech-wr trade!
In this case, you may choose not to include a
screenshot for the 'trivial' dialogs, at best,
but textually must state Click Next in the
Welcome dialog... or such.
Unheard melodies are sweeter, but they don't get
the job done.
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