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: Documentation not as important anymore? From:Jim Grey <jwg -at- ACD4 -dot- ACD -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 2 May 1994 08:46:52 -0500
Kelly K. Hoffman concludes:
>Interesting that 10 years ago most software documentation was
>abysmal (IMHO :-), yet it was listed as "the most important feature."
>Now, docs are, overall, significantly better, and it's lower on the list.
>Could it be that the people responding to this survey were simply
>remembering the things about software that they thought were awful?
>In other words, now that they're not peeved by the documentation, it's
>not as important, but they are peeved by the lack of support, so it has
>been elevated to "very important."
Could be. The "average" user, though, has changed in ten years, from
someone who was usually inclined toward computers (and figuring them
out), toward Anyman, who may be less inclined to do any figuring-out.
"I just paid $2000 for this thing; I'll be damned if I'm gonna read
any manual!"
jim grey
--
jim grey |beebeebumbleandthestingersmottthehoopleraycharlessingers
jwg -at- acd4 -dot- acd -dot- com |lonniemackandtwangin'eddiehere'smyringwe'regoingsteadyta
jimgrey -at- delphi -dot- com|GO/M d p+ c++(-) l u+ e- m*@ s+/ n+ h f++ g- w+@ t+ r- y+(*)
|ACD, Terre Haute, IN -- The Silicon Cornfield
