Re[2]: Conventions, Intros, Overviews, Help, etc.

[Elizabeth Kane <bkane -at- ARTISOFT -dot- COM>]

     Note that I didn't say not to put the info in the manual; I said it's
     best to have the info right where the users need it, beside the stuff
     that needs "translating."

     If you do that, there will be fewer calls to tech support than there
     would be if the info were stuffed into a conventions section
     elsewhere.

     These generalizations are based on actual usability tests.
     Beth
     bkane -at- artisoft -dot- com

<snip:>
A lot of people probably don't read ANY of the book.  But I put all
kinds of info in there for the people who DO.

>      People go right to what sounds like task-oriented material.
>
That is a gross generalization.  Some people never crack the cover of a
Word manual, never look at the help, figure everything out by intuition.
Other people need a 5-day course.  If you know that every one of your
readers is going to know that words in all caps are keyboard keys, then
fine, don't but in a Conventions section.  But you'd better be sure.
Otherwise, some fool is going to call tech support, and then tech
support is going to ask you why it isn't in the manual.