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Subject:Re: How do you handle release notes From:"Wilcox, John (WWC, Contractor)" <wilcoxj -at- WDNI -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 2 Apr 1998 09:54:04 -0800
> ----------
> From: Cowley, Martha - Broomfield,
> CO[SMTP:Martha -dot- Cowley -at- CEXP -dot- COM]
>
> Please tell me the following:
>
There are just about as many valid answers to your questions as there
are writers and publishing situations.
> What do you include in the release notes? (Screen shots, procedures,
> process information, what else?)
>
what's new/changed
installation instructions
platform-specific issues
> What format do you publish release notes in (Electronically through
> e-mail, with the software, hard copy).
>
ASCII, Word, Acrobat, hard copy, whatever the market warrants.
> How do you differentiate between releases notes (numbering, publishing
> numbers).
>
A code that makes sense to you and anyone else that needs to interpret
it.
> What kind of formatting do you include? (header and footers)
>
Again, whatever makes sense to your situation.
> What goes in a release note publication vs readme.txt?
>
Again, depends. At some companies there's a world of difference, at
others the terms may be used interchangeably.
> And is there a book(s) you can recommend that I can use for reference?
>
Nope. I've always made up my own format. Try looking at some
release notes and see what you like and don't like.
> Regards,
>
> John Wilcox, Documentation Specialist
> Timberlands Information Services, Application Delivery Group
> Weyerhaeuser, WWC 2E2, Box 2999
> Tacoma, WA 98477-2999 USA
> 253-924-7972 mailto:wilcoxj -at- wdni -dot- com
> (I don't speak for Weyerhaeuser, and they return the favor.)
>