Re: minimal manuals

[ELWIN MCKELLAR <mckellar -at- MTU -dot- EDU>]

Karin,

I would like to add one more reference to the growing list of information
about creating minimal manuals.

Brockmann, R. John
    _Writing_Better_Computer_User_Documentation_:_From_Paper_to_Hypertext_,
Version 2.0 / R. John Brockmann, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York  p.384 cm

ISBN 0-471-62259-1
ISBN 0-471-62260-5 (pbk.)


Dr. Brockmann gives step-by-step instructions and discusses application of
the principles of minimalism (Carroll). He also provides and extensive
bibliography in the back of the book.

I found application of minimalist principles to review of our
documentation a very useful tool. Total conversion to a minimalist manual
is difficult. I like the basic principle that documentation should *get out
of the way* of getting the job done,  but found the total minimalist
manual a bit ascetic.

Have fun.

Mick.
 --
                       ______
                       |    |
                       |    |  ____
  _____                \    / _|  |  ____
 _|   |                |    | |   |  |  |  ________ ______
 |    | ______  _____  |    | |   | _|  |__|      |_|    | _/\___/\_ ______
 |    |-|     |-|   |--|    |-|   |/                      \|       |/     |
 |________________________________________________________________________|
    Michigan Technological University - Houghton, Michigan 49931-1295
 ___________________________________________________________________________
/                                                                           \
  Mick McKellar - Information Systems Spec. - Computing Technology Services

  e-mail address: mckellar -at- mtu -dot- edu              phone: (906) 487-2112, 2110
\___________________________________________________________________________/