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Subject:Re: RE: How do you read a User Manual From:Susan W. Gallagher <sgallagher5 -at- cox -dot- net> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 15 Jun 2004 19:30:24 -0400
Me? To be honest, after 21 years writing software docs, it
never occurs to me that the docs have already been written.
<g> If I can't figure out the interface and need to look
something up, I hit the online help first for an electronic
search and a quick in-and-out. If I have to spend 2 minutes
looking it up, I get testy. (ADD? Maybe? What does it say
about finishing *everything* at the last minute???) <g>
Drives my husband nuts, as he is one of those rare birds who
actually does read the manual from cover to cover before he
installs the app. I'm up and running and he's still struggling
with the cellophane! ;-) And just try to get him to use
online help! Pffft! Ain't gonna happen without a fight.
Kinda makes you wonder how we've managed to stay married for
28 years, huh?
But the point is, there are both kinds of people in the user
community and we need to accomodate them both.
-Sue Gallagher
>
> From: "John Posada" <JPosada -at- isogon -dot- com>
<snip>
> In a nutshell, he's telling me that users will approach a User's Manual
> and read it like a novel...they start from the from and read it page
> after page.
>
> My position is that readers enter the book at any place that contains
> the content to address their issue at hand.
>
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