RE: Web-based docs and help (from JavaHelp perhaps?)

["Dan Goldstein" <DGoldstein -at- riverainmedical -dot- com>]

We can all tell you our "current thinking," but it doesn't mean doodly
compared with your customers' current thinking. Of course, it's easier
to get our opinion than to get your customers'... But we do know that
they've received both printed manuals and onscreen PDFs in the past. It
would be great if you could at least informally survey them as to which
format they prefer.

Either way, a lot of us think that for onscreen Help, PDFs are a lousy
choice. This has to do with indexing and searching, linear vs.
non-linear presentation, etc. The HATT archives are a good source for
this information. PDF is good for printing and lousy for onscreen Help;
HTML is lousy for printing and good for onscreen Help.

And one more thought: When a company sends me a PDF file and
_suggests_that_I_print_it (yes, I've really seen this!), I know they're
incredibly cheap. So I assume they also skimp on things like developer
skills, support staff, etc.


-----Original Message-----
From: dwyercl2 
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2011 12:10 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Web-based docs and help (from JavaHelp perhaps?)

   Our company is developing a Web-based version of our product (which
is
   a suite of several applications, Java-based and XML-powered) and
we're
   looking at how to best present our documentation going forward. I
   created our manuals in Structured FrameMaker (v7.2) and the customers
   received the set of manuals (for the different apps, plus
programmer's
   guide, install guide, and admin guide) in hardcopy and as PDFs that
   they can install with the product. I created our help files using
   JavaHelp for our product, with each app having its own helpset, which
   were written as topic-based 'how-to' guides themselves for each
   specific application.
   I'd like to solicit opinions as to what the current thinking is on
   hard-copy manuals (w/PDFs and help files) vs. ONLY on-line PDFs and
help
   files for the Web-based version of the product.
   Also, does anyone know of any path of transition or transformation to
a
   Web-based help system from JavaHelp? Or is there a not-too-difficult
   way to leverage the JavaHelp files (specifically the HTML files) for
a
   Web-based help system? Any suggestions on a Web-based help system
that
   is platform independent (Windows and Linux)? Thanks!
   Cheryl Dwyer
   Industrial Medium Software, Inc.
   McLean, VA




This message contains confidential information intended only for the use of the addressee(s). If you are not the addressee, or the person responsible for delivering it to the addressee, you are hereby notified that reading, disseminating, distributing, copying, electronic storing or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this message is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this message by mistake, please notify us, by replying to the sender, and delete the original message immediately thereafter.  Thank you.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help.
Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need. Try
Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
http://www.doctohelp.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.

Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat