Electronic Documentation Defined - Question

[Debbie Stewart <Debbie_Stewart -at- SIECOR -dot- COM>]

Okay. I am new to this form of documentation, so please don't blast me,

but teach me. This is the very kind of thing that is NOT taught in *most*
      schools,

but is learned primarily hands-on or through co-workers and mentors. I do
      not

have fellow tech-writer-co-workers doing what I am doing and did not learn
      any

of this in school.

Challenge:

Please explain the forms of electronic documentation and how they work and
      what

software and tools are used for each. Yes, this is brain picking, but from
      the best

garden, I must say! Some of you have areas of expertise that are your
      favorites. Could

you take the time to elaborate on one or more of these areas or broaden the
      areas.

1. Software development: you create online help files that are part of the
      software.

2. Internet/Intranet: you create documents that have links and are
      formatted using meta-languages.

3. Others, which are ?????

Could you take on the task to explain how it works? I thought that WinHelp
      was part of Windows, but is it

an application or is it an end product? What good books go into this type
      of technical, fast moving

documentation formats?



Please feel free to reply off-line and I will do a summary! I have a real
      learning curve here

and appreciate all replies and information!


Debbie Stewart
Lone Tech Writer
Siecor Operations, LLC
Hickory NC
704-327-5143
debbie -dot- stewart -at- siecor -dot- com