Re: What would replace WebHelp?

[kafkascampi <kafkascampi -at- gmail -dot- com>]

You made me race over to test my WebHelp on Chrome. It works for me, and I
created my WebHelp using a down-level version of Flare (4.2). It also works
on IE9, FF (7 this week!), and Safari.

But I do share your growing fears about futureproofing.

Chris

On Wed, Sep 28, 2011 at 12:21 PM, McLauchlan, Kevin <
Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com> wrote:

> I like WebHelp, because:
>
> a) it's cross-platform
> b) it can be read with (just about) any browser (historical statement, no
> longer true, see below)
> c) it can be served if desired, OR it can be copied to a customer's local
> drive-or-LAN and browsed as a clump of local files (not served by any web
> server)
> d) it can be tied to a GUI application for context sensitivity
> e) it supports a nice model via frames with navigation aids like ToC,
> Search, Glossary, and so on.
>
> However, some browsers, while fortifying themselves against internet
> threats, have upgraded themselves out of usability with good, old WebHelp.
>
> As it stands, older versions of IE still work with most WebHelp. (If I
> wasn't still stuck with Win XP
> here at the office, I could also comment on newest versions...)
> Current version of Opera (v11.51)works with new WebHelp, but fails with
> last year's (and previous) WebHelp.
> Current version of Chrome (v14) works with newer WebHelp, but the last
> year's version failed.
> Also current Chrome fails with WebHelp created before this year (using
> Madcap Flare, anyway).
> Current Firefox (v7) works fine with current WebHelp and with legacy
> WebHelp projects.
> Current Safari (5.1) works fine with current WebHelp and with legacy
> WebHelp projects.
>
> In all cases, I test against a WebHelp output published to a file server on
> our LAN.
> In no case do I use webserved WebHelp.
>
> Failures have had to do with browser security fixes that thwart
> "cross-site" calls, such as are used (apparently) by the WebHelp frames
> calling for their content.
>
> With recent developments such as ssl/tls vulnerabilities, I think we can
> expect more activity in those areas and therefore more breakage of browsers
> and WebHelp.  See this link:
>
>
> http://www.educatedguesswork.org/2011/09/security_impact_of_the_rizzodu.html
>
> So, what is the next publishing form/platform to consider, in case WebHelp
> goes south?
> PDF is not my favorite solution, but if there's nothing else that fills the
> WebHelp niche, I'll hafta.
>
> - k
>
>
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