Re: But, people *like* fluff. (Was: reassuring language) -Reply

[Lisa Comeau <COMEAUL -at- CSA -dot- CA>]

I said the words "simply" and "easily" are fluff, I wasn't referring to a specific manual or type thereof. I'm a little afraid that if I say something is "easy", the user won't find it so.

In another thread, someone (a long-term user) just discovered character styles in Word. (relatively "simple" to find, and "easy" to use- *for me* because I learned about them the first time I used Word)

This user is obviously experienced, but just didn't happen to stumble on this feature before. So how would they have felt if I placed the following line in my Word manual

"You can easily format character styles in Word by simply clicking."

Okay, so there's more to it than that, but you get the picture. It implies that this is the world's simplest process, and someone who didn't know about it must be pretty dense. ****which is NOT what I am saying about this user****

What I *am* saying is that I agree with Mike, dummies books sell because they don't *assume* you already know everything, neither do they *assume* you know nothing. You can be a beginner level Windows user and learn MS Project 98, or an Advanced level user and learn MS Project 98, in the same book. Amazing, isn't it? Perfect example of the type of thing another user was asking about...how do you write something that gets both levels of user through the same manual.

I do find that the Dummies books can be a little condescending and wordy at times, but so be it. That's just my *opinion*. I don't have to buy them. But they don't tell me something is *simple* or *easy* when i don't think it is. I guess that's my point.

Lisa Comeau
IS Super-User/Trainer
Certification and Testing Division
Canadian Standards Association
Rexdale, ON
comeaul -at- csa -dot- ca