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Subject:Single Sourcing - Myth or Salvation? From:jgarison -at- ide -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 12 Mar 2002 14:58:03 -0500
Dear Techwhirlers,
I don't think that we've discussed this issue in a while, and it's something
that I think we're all interested in, at least peripherally. Please respond
to the following questions and I'll try to get some sort of summary together
in a week or two once the flames have died down.
Single sourcing is defined for this discussion as using one set of files to
generate both online help and printed documentation. Feel free to expand
upon this definition if necessary, but make your clarifications or additions
clearly known.
1. Do you currently use single sourcing, are you thinking about it, or will
it happen over your dead body?
2. If you use it, how successful is it? Do the online results represent
good-quality online help? Do the printed documents represent good-quality
printed manuals?
3. If you use it, how much overhead is there? (I.e., does it take just as
long, longer, or less time than it would to do both separately?) How do you
know?
4. Is it worth doing?
5. Briefly describe the process and techniques you use to create single
source materials.
6. Did you invent your own solution, inherit the solution, or learn from
someone else (Hackos, etc.)?
7. How big is your company? [Small = < 100 people Medium = <500 people
Large = < 1000 people XLarge = > 1001 people]
Thanks ... and this one should be fun!
John
John Garison
Documentation Manager
IDe
150 Baker Avenue Extension
Concord, MA 01742
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