Re: Installation Instructions & Screen Captures

[Cynthia Libby <cynthia -at- TRUMP -dot- ITG -dot- TI -dot- COM>]

>Item 1:
>I'm working on instructions for a piece of software.  What's the
>consensus about how thorough the installation instructions ought to be?

For installation instructions you have two basic types of people.

- The first group will not read the instructions unless they have a problem.
  So, when they do read the instructions they need enough detail to solve
  the problem.

- The second group wants to know what you are going to do to their system.
  These folks have either been burned before or are new and want to be careful.
  Details are good for these folks - such as which directories/files are going
  to be created or modified.  Install scripts usually have fairly brief
  descriptions of options, so it is great to have details they can refer to.
  What we are doing is putting a quick installation guide in the cd jewel case
  with a more detailed installation guide available separately.

>Item 2:

For the screen captures, you can set it up so that you get both small and
large captures.  First, try your best to get a good small capture (search
the techwr-l archives for suggestions on that).  Also create a larger size
capture.  You can then set up your html so that the small capture appears
with the text, but when a user clicks on the small capture they can see
the larger, clearer capture.  That should satisfy both you and whoever
wants small screens.  Let me know if you want the exact html for that.

Cynthia Libby
Source Consulting
Plano, Texas

 TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot-  Send commands
   to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
  Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/  or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html