A-Z user guides: where to put file extensions?

[Geoff hart <Geoff-H -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA>]

Joanne Meehl wondered <<Where, in an A-to-Z user guide, would an entry for
cpk  go? Or any "dot" entries, for that matter?>>

Ideally, put the information in several places, not just one: under file
extensions, under C (.cpk between co... words and cq... words), under "." at
the beginning of the list, and under the application's name (e.g., ".doc"
would also go under "Word document files (.doc)". Think of an A-Z guide as
an index: important topics should have crossreferences, synonyms, "see also"
entries, and other aids to helping someone find what they're looking for.
You could always include a paragraph at the beginning of the guide that
explains where you've hidden away references, but how many people read the
instructions on how to use alphabetical lists? (<stitch>: See the recent
discussion of failure to read instructions on how to unsubscribe.)

And one plea from a frustrated user of alphabetized stuff: If the entries
are short, repeat the entry in full; if they're long, use a cross-reference.
I've just about hurled my phone book across the room when I come across an
entry like: "STCUM: See Societe des Transports de Communaute Urbaine de
Montreal" instead of just "STCUM: 123-4567". (Grrrr...)

--Geoff Hart, Pointe-Claire, Quebec
geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca 
"The paperless office will arrive when the paperless toilet
arrives."--Matthew Stevens