Re: phrasing of unavailable options

[Barb Ostapina <Barb -dot- Ostapina -at- METROMAIL -dot- COM>]

I think you have a good point, James. I, too, am generally opposed to
printing possible futures. In the situation where I had to do it, however,
it was in a record layout guide sent to customers and was done at the
request of the technical support people. Apparently, the sales group
published the feature although it wasn't available and the tech people were
tired of getting calls about it. This is why I chose the phrasing "planned
future option." Plans change. "Will be implemented..." implies too much
certainty for me.






Bev Parks said,

>I've used "This option will be implemented in a future release" in text.
>Like Barb, I don't know how it would work in online help.

Due to a recent event at work, this subject has been on my mind recently.
Is it just a personal pet peeve of mine, or shouldn't we really try to
avoid including these sorts of predictions in our manuals? I mean, the
software creation process being what it tends to be, what happens if a
feature we've dutifully stated is forthcoming never appears?

IMHO, this sort of conditional information about what will be belongs in
memos or perhaps README files, but not in a manual. Manuals should
accurately describe what the product is now and what the product does now.
Otherwise, you are inviting all sorts of maintenance nightmares.

Why would you want to include a statement like "planned future option" or
"will be implemented in a future release" in the manual or online help?

James Lockard
norton -at- mcs -dot- net
jamesl -at- dmti -dot- com


>>-----Original Message-----
>>From:  Barb Ostapina [SMTP:Barb -dot- Ostapina -at- METROMAIL -dot- COM]
>>I've used "CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE (Planned future option)"
>>in text. Don't know how it would work in online help.
>>
>>
>>Hello all,
>>
>>I'm working on an online help file and I have to state that an option is
>>unavailable, but will be with future enhancements....etc. Any
>>suggestions on a good way to phrase this?
>>...
>>Kristen
>>(klor -at- intface -dot- com)

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