Re: Mac vs PC users

[Scott Turner <quills -at- airmail -dot- net>]

You don't have to develop the help system on a a Windows box, however, if that's what you have and the software to do it, it would-be counter-productive to try to do it on a system and software tool you are unfamiliar with.  It's always better to work from familiarity. I did a job where the input was from Windows even though my tools were in a Mac. But a text file is still text on any platform.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 6, 2010, at 12:07, Deborah Hemstreet <dvora -at- tech-challenged -dot- com> wrote:

> Actually, here is what I've done:
> 
> 1. I've added a section "For New Mac Users"
> 2. I've added a new section "For new SOFTWARE Users" (where this is the name of application I"m documenting)
> 3. Instead of do one of the following for EVERYTHING, I'm using drop-down text for the various ways something a bit more complex can be done.
>    For example
> 
> Topic Name: Apply Style
> 
> Generic text true for however you do it.... Styles etc.... blah blah blah
> 
> 
> Drop-down -text (click to see full instructions) Apply Styles with the Palette
> Drop-down -text (click to see full instructions) Apply Styles with the Shortcut Menu (a new feature in this SW version)
> Drop-down -text (click to see full instructions) Apply Last Used Style with Keyboard Shortcut
> 
> I would love to leave something out, but since the software is getting updated, shortcut menus are new, and they do expect people to use their software who are moving from a PC to a MAC, I kind of need to have them all. My hope is that people will click the "how to" which is of most interest to them.
> 
> Hope I'm not off base there...
> 
> Deborah
> 
> P.S. My client is happy with the direction things are going so far, which amazes me considering that the whole company is totally MAC-centric and despise (DESPISE) anything to do with a PC, and I'm having to develop the Help on a PC!
> 
> On 07/06/2010 12:23 PM, Tony Chung wrote:
>> Hi Deborah,
>> 
>> I would venture to guess that the concept of "everyone knows that" was
>> true up until the last two years, when Apple's advanced product
>> features atracted a lot of frustrated PC users and caused us to
>> switch.
>> 
>> Last October I could have used a helpful guide of Apple product
>> philosophy. "Think Different" isn't just a slogan: It permeates
>> product design.
>> 
>> Maybe your application needs a guide for "new Mac users", or refer to
>> David Pogue's book, Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual for
>> insights.
>> 
>> -Tony
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