Re: New TECHWR-L Poll Question--amen Fred

["Sella Rush" <rushsm -at- home -dot- com>]

Speaking from a *software* writer's perspective only, cautions and warnings
are often indicators of where the software is not looking out for the user.
Sometimes this is a design flaw, other times it's specially planned that
way.

A lot of software being written today puts a great emphasis on preventing
the user from doing something irretrievably stupid, like accidently clicking
the mouse and losing the Great American Novel.  That's why we have the
message box:  "Are you sure you want to delete this file?"

But I've worked with clients who abhor what they consider a "dumbing down"
of the software, and don't want their users to have to click twice every
time they want to delete something.  As the tech writer doing the
documentation, you can bet I'll add a caution at this point to let them know
there's no going back.

Here's an example of a design flaw (really it was more like a decision to
defer until the next deadline!).  In a sys admin tool, only admin authorized
login can make changes such as adding/deleting logins.  At the same time it
is possible to delete the only existing admin login, which makes it
impossible to access all sys admin functions.  Solution?--stick a warning in
the documentation not to do this, and a note in the troubleshooting section
about why access is denied and how much they'll have to pay the company to
fix it for them.
_______________________
Sella Rush
Seattle, WA
rushsm -at- home -dot- com


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