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:Re: HTML-Benefit? - Long From:Tracey Moore <traceym -at- APPLIEDMAPPING -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 6 Nov 1998 15:48:54 -0500
Regarding the following statement:
Reasons not to use HTML-based help at this time:
* The user must have IE4 and 32 bit applications
--------------------------------------------------------
The requirement for IE4 will be moot when more people are using Win98 or NT
5.0. The 32 bit requirement is already there if you don't want to compile
with 3.1 compatibility in Winhelp. If you still need 16 bit capability, the
winhelp engine is still going to ship.
Maybe you can explain to me why:
We have an application that uses HTML help. IE 4 and the necessary drivers are installed on the computer, and you have IE 4.0 up and running. But you surf to the site using Netscape. Try and open the HTML help file and you get gobbleygook.
I don't see how having Win 98 or NT 5.0 will change this. I don't see how the HTML help file will open from Netscape regardless of your operating system.
Netscape just doesn't recognize HTML help. If you have to surf to the site using IE 4, then this point is definitely not moot.
Three months ago Blue Sky told me the very same thing you're saying. But ironically, they are shipping WebHelp with their Office 7.0.
