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Subject:Slides and help files From:geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA Date:Tue, 11 Mar 1997 13:56:15 -0600
I tried to reply personally to everyone who mailed directly
to me, but I probably missed a few people who replied via
the list (I'm on digest) so here's a summary and a general
thanks to anyone I did miss:
A week ago, I asked for opinions on the use of graphics in
place of text as a way of enhancing the visual appearance
in a slide presentation, without compromising quality. The
consensus was that:
- text-only slides _are_ deadly dull and need some spice,
- but the graphics must be appropriate to the audience,
- an appropriate mix of graphics and text will enhance the
communication, and
- so long as you don't overwhelm viewers with complex or
overly abundant graphics, the technique should work well.
I also asked about extracting wordprocessor files from
Win3.1 help files, and was informed that the biggie help
authoring packages probably have some utility for doing
this (e.g., RoboHelp definitely does). There are also
shareware or freeware alternatives available on the Web.
Two such files (available at www.wextech.com) are paper.zip
and helpdc21.zip; another name came up, but I couldn't
extract it from my archives. If I do, I'll pass along the
info.
Lastly, I asked for advice on the usefulness of ForeHelp in
producing Win3.1 help files. The consensus was that it's a
decent program, particularly if you don't have access to
MSWord; its only serious drawback was the relatively
limited word processor built into the software, but for
online help, this might not be so terrible. The other usual
suspects (RoboHelp and Doc-to-Help) were mentioned, each
with its own strengths and weaknesses.
Again, thanks to all who responded.
--Geoff Hart @8^{)} geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
Disclaimer: Speaking for myself, not FERIC.
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