RE: Front and Back matter in User Guides (where do you put the companycontact info)

["Lauren" <lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu>]

I put it in the front of manual.  Manuals tend to follow conventions similar
to published books, but some of the content is different.  Sections of
publications include and in the order that follows, cover, title page,
copyright information that includes the publisher's address, table of
contents, contents, index, and others.  

Look inside any book at the first page after the title page and you see the
copyright page with contact information for the publishers and copyright
dates.  This page will provide you with all of the information that you need
to know about the book and to get in contact with owners of the copyright.
This information is not usually included in the back matter.

Manuals include similar information.  Instead of copyright information that
includes ISBNs and such, copyright information for manuals include the
document owners and contact information and should include a revision
history, although sometimes the revision history is at the end of the
document.

Refer to the Chicago Manual of Style, section 1.27 under the heading, "Front
Matter," that begins with the section, "Publisher's Address."  Also, refer
to the Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications, 3rd edition,
section 9, page 146, under the heading "Front Matter."

Lauren
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus -dot- edu -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com 
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus -dot- edu -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On 
> Behalf Of Caroline Tabach
> Sent: Monday, August 20, 2007 1:00 AM
> To: TECHWR-L
> Subject: Front and Back matter in User Guides (where do you 
> put the companycontact info)
> 
> Hi,
> All of our User Guides (and other documents)  contain the contact info
> (addresses, phone numbers, emails) of our offices at the beginning of
> the book beneath copyright info.
> The contact info also appears on the page that would have been the
> back cover (if we were printing).
> 
> Someone looking through one of these books (who is neither a writer
> nor an English speaker), told us this information should not appear in
> the beginning of the books and asked why it was there.
> 
> My answer was, well, the original professional who put them together
> did it like this, but I did not have an authoritive answer.
> 
> I have now checked in the Sun guide "Read me First" which tells you to
> add this info to the beginning of the book.
> 
> Is this how everyone does it?
> 
> What do you have on the back page, both of a PDF file, or of 
> a printed book?
> 
> What font size do you use for this information?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> -- 
> Caroline Tabach
> Technical Writer
> e-mail: caroline -dot- tabach -at- gmail -dot- com
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Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

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