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:Summary & Thanks: Notes vs Footnotes From:Lucille Lattanzi <lucille -dot- lattanzi -at- PERI -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 1 May 1998 11:19:54 -0400
My sincere thanks to all of you who responded to my request for opinions
on the usefulness of notes vs. footnotes.
NOTES: Everyone responding found notes useful when information needed to
be showcased for a variety of reasons - special procedures, cautions,
warnings, tool tips, etc.
FOOTNOTES: Of the group responding, only one writer found footnotes
useful for "nice/interesting-to-know" information.
Everyone else thought they really were too academic in nature for
manuals. Some felt that readers would ignore them when reading quickly
for immediately useful information.
This is by no means a comprehensive survey, but it did help to define
the concepts involved.
Thanks, again!
TGIF
Lucille Lattanzi
Periphonics Corporation
Bohemia, New York, USA