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Subject:Online documentation, problems using From:"Barbara E. Cohen" <becohen -at- WELL -dot- SF -dot- CA -dot- US> Date:Mon, 15 Mar 1993 16:21:17 -0800
I have been reading the comments about online documentation with interest.
I am a professional indexer, and I have indexed some software documentation
as well as two newsletters for a supercomputing center, and all I can say
is: online documentation is a great THEORY, but the reality is often a
problem.
I am curious to know what technical writers think of online indexes as they
currently exist. Are your documentations indexed by a professional indexer,
the software developer, or a tech writer? I have found that these three
categories have three different agendas for indexes.
On the other hand, someone recently said to me that he thinks online
indexing will become obsolete, because full-text searches are possible. I
tried to explain how a good index saves the researcher so much time, but
this particular historian wasn't buying it (something about wanting to see
all the "false hits" himself and not trusting the indexer to evaluate
relevant material).
Any comments?
Barbara E. Cohen
Professional Indexer
becohen -at- well -dot- sf -dot- ca -dot- us
