Re: Figures - Captions and References?

[Richard Feldman <rfeldman -at- CFSLC -dot- COM>]

    I haven't developed a strong opinion one way or the other regarding the
necessity for figure captions and references in the software manuals of
which I am a consumer.  However, I am producing tech docs to support
operation and maintenance of specialized multi-million-dollar hardware.
These docs sometimes come in more than one volume, typically in six or
seven sections and several hundred pages per volume, with a total of
perhaps 40 or 50 figures.  I often need to refer to a single figure several
different places in the text; repeating the figure each time I refer to it
is not feasible.  It is desirable that the user be able to find a figure
quickly and with minimal confusion as to whether it's actually the one
being referred to.  I believe it's also helpful for users to see all the
figures listed in one place in the table of contents.  Thus, I find it
difficult to conceive of dropping figure captions and numbering in my work,
even if there weren't military standards and specifications requiring their
use.

(NOTE: Apologies if someone has already delivered the definitive statement
on this topic today or if it's been pronounced dead.  I'm on digest, and
have been unable to pull up the OK State archive web site to review the
whole discussion and see if anything has been written since the last digest
went out).

Richard


Richard Feldman, Technical Writer
Camber Flight Simulation LC
5550 Midway Park Place, Albuquerque, NM 87109  e-mail: rfeldman -at- cfslc -dot- com
PH: (505) 342-5369 FX: (505) 343-0766


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