Re: On-line help questions

[Thomas Burgin <Thomas -dot- Burgin -at- MAILPORT -dot- DELTA-AIR -dot- COM>]

Message authorized by:
    : pslvax!amanda -at- UCSD -dot- EDU_at_smtp at MAILPORT


Am in a similar situation, except that I use Windows on my current project
(Mac
at home). RoboHelp is probably what I'll go with here at Delta. It is more
expensive, but it certainly is as feature-rich as the others (maybe a bit
moreso), but also importantly, it seems to be in high demand on one's resume.


My other recommendation would be to subscribe to the WinHelp list. Here's
the
info:

All commands must be sent to the "LISTSERV address", LISTSERV -at- OSUVM1 -dot- BITNET
(or
LISTSERV -at- VM1 -dot- UCC -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU).  It   is  very   important  to   understand
the
difference between the two, but fortunately it is not complicated. The
LISTSERV
address is like a FAX number, and the list address is like a normal phone
line.
If you make your FAX call someone's regular phone number by mistake, it will
be
an unpleasant  experience for him  but you will  probably be excused  the
first
time. If you do it regularly, however,  he will probably get upset and send
you
a nasty complaint. It is the same  with mailing lists, with the difference
that
you are calling hundreds or thousands of people at the same time, so a lot
more
people get annoyed if you use the wrong number.

You may leave the  list at any time by sending a  "SIGNOFF TECHWR-L" command
to
LISTSERV -at- OSUVM1 -dot- BITNET  (or LISTSERV -at- VM1 -dot- UCC -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU).  You  can also
tell
LISTSERV how  you want it to  confirm the receipt  of messages you send  to
the
list. If you do  not trust the system, send a "SET  TECHWR-L REPRO" command
and
LISTSERV will send  you a copy of your  own messages, so that you  can see
that
the message was distributed  and did not get damaged on the  way. After a
while
you may  find that this  is getting annoying,  especially if your  mail
program
does not  tell you that the  message is from you  when it informs you  that
new
mail  has arrived  from TECHWR-L.  If  you send  a "SET  TECHWR-L ACK
NOREPRO"
command, LISTSERV  will mail  you a short  acknowledgement instead,  which
will
look different in your mailbox directory. With most mail programs you will
know
immediately that  this is an acknowledgement  you can read later.  Finally,
you
can turn off acknowledgements completely with "SET TECHWR-L NOACK NOREPRO".

Following instructions from the list owner, your subscription options have
been
set to  "REPRO" rather than the  usual LISTSERV defaults. For  more
information
about   subscription   options,   send    a   "QUERY   TECHWR-L"   command
to
LISTSERV -at- OSUVM1 -dot- BITNET (or LISTSERV -at- VM1 -dot- UCC -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU).

Contributions sent to this list are  automatically archived. You can get a
list
of  the available  archive  files by  sending an  "INDEX  TECHWR-L" command
to
LISTSERV -at- OSUVM1 -dot- BITNET  (or LISTSERV -at- VM1 -dot- UCC -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU).  You can  then
order
these files with a "GET TECHWR-L LOGxxxx" command, or using LISTSERV's
database
search facilities. Send an "INFO DATABASE"  command for more information on
the
latter.

Please note  that it is presently  possible for other people  to determine
that
you are signed  up to the list  through the use of the  "REVIEW" command,
which
returns the e-mail address and name of  all the subscribers. If you do not
want
your name to be visible, just issue a "SET TECHWR-L CONCEAL" command.

More information  on LISTSERV commands can  be found in the  LISTSERV
reference
card,  which  you  can  retrieve  by  sending  an  "INFO  REFCARD"  command
to
LISTSERV -at- OSUVM1 -dot- BITNET (or LISTSERV -at- VM1 -dot- UCC -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU).
______________________________ Reply Separator
_________________________________
Subject: On-line help questions
Author:  TECHWR-L -at- VM1 -dot- ucc -dot- okstate -dot- edu_at_smtp at MAILPORT
Date:    5/23/95 3:36 PM


Comments:     <Parser> W: Incorrect or incomplete address field found and
        ignored.
Comments: To: TECHWR-L -at- vm1 -dot- ucc -dot- okstate -dot- edu

Glub...glub...glub...

I am officially over my head on this one.

Next month I'm going to be writing on-line help for an accounting program
for
Windows. I'm new both to on-line help and Windows. So I need oodles of
advice.

1.   Does anyone have any software recommendations for Windows Help?
RoboHelp? Doc-to-Help? Forehelp? I'm working on a PowerMac 7100.

2.   Does anyone know of any seminars/classes that would be helpful
for learning on-line help software and/or the basics of writing on-line help?


3.   How about any books that will help me with the basics of writing
on-line help?

4.   Are there any *Supreme* "Do's and Don't's" that I should be aware
of when writing on-line help?

Thanks oodles.

Amanda Taylor
Cast & Crew Production Software
pslvax!amanda -at- ucsd -dot- edu