TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:In What Form Windows Documentation From:Amy Frink <afrink -at- BBASSOCIATES -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 20 Oct 1997 20:10:28 -0600
The company I work with has developed a Windows-based product for use over
the Internet. This product, i.e., company, may be sold to others in the
future, or we may work in collaboration with others to jointly sell the
service. The two questions I have relate to product documentation.
1) If a product is a Windows-based product, are there standards for the
documentation, i.e., must it be paper-based, must it confirm to some
technical specification? Must the documentation include certain topics? Is
there a Windows "Standards Guide for Documentation" that might offer some
guidance?
2) If the "software" product is sold to other companies for their use and
sale, are there legal issues about what form of documentation needs to
support the transfer of the product? Again, must the documentation be
paper-based, must it provide certain detail about the product? This may be
the domain of lawyers, yet I thought it an interesting question.
