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A Software Programmers Manual (or Software "Developers" Manual) is what
a technical writer cobbles together for the company to sell to the
customer with their software product. The audience is the end user and
the purpose is to show that person (sounds like a programmer to me, but
heck, what do I know) how to use the software product. It is your baby.
The Detailed Design Document is a DOCUMENT that a
programmer/developer/engineer hurriedly splices together at 3am to
record the DETAILS of how the software that was just finished was
supposed to be DESIGNED. Its audience is the rest of engineering, and
probably TWs, who want to know the innards of the software product. It
bears no relation to what the product does, but how it does it. Its
purpose is to show how smart the programmer/developer/engineer is. Its
sub-purpose is to contain information gaps, amusing typos, and examples
of copy/paste taken to dizzying heights. WARNING: A TW MAY BE ASKED TO
QUICKLY EDIT IT INTO THE SOFTWARE PROGRAMMERS MANUAL. Although this is
impossible because they are completely different documents, just splash
a big DRAFT watermark on the cover, get the customer to sign a bazillion
waivers acknowledging that its irrelevant to using the product, and run
like heck. It is not your baby, it is an abomination.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Van Fujimoto [SMTP:hopad -at- IX -dot- NETCOM -dot- COM]
> Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 1998 12:57 PM
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: Software Programmers[/"Developers"] Manual .....
> definition?
>
> Dear all,
> I want to know if a Software Programmers Manual (or Software
> "Developers" Manual) is the same as a Detailed Design Document.
> If not, what's inside and where can I find an outline?
>
> Would appreciate any input on this.
>
> Van Fujimoto
> hopad -at- ix -dot- netcom -dot- com
>
>
> &^~~~
> Send commands to listserv -at- listserv -dot- okstate -dot- edu (e.g., SIGNOFF
> TECHWR-L)
> Find contractor info at
>http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/contractors.htm
