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.
We have a similar situation with one of our applications. What we have done is to include the vendor's documentation on the CD, with the vendors agreement, and those procedures that actually use the vendors software, reference the vendor docs but include the steps to perform the procedure. The vendor documentation covers it's use 'in general'. Our procedures take it a step further and direct the user in what to enter when answering prompts.
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+david -dot- spreadbury=tellabs -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+david -dot- spreadbury=tellabs -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of csouther -at- mindspring -dot- com
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 7:56 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: 3rd party software documentation
All,
My companyÃââs software is increasingly becoming more Web-based, which means there are lots of different 3rd party applications (mostly Microsoft) that it requires and whose options you need to tweak.
My VPÃââs take on this is that if it affects the use of our applications, then we need to document how to configure these 3rd party applications.
My take is that someone else has already done the work, letÃââs just note the requirement and include a link (and check it periodically to ensure it remains active) to the original vendorÃââs configuration documentation. I donÃâât want there to be any hint of plagiarism and I figure the original designers know it best, so let them handle the docs.
IÃââm just curious how others handle this challenge.
Thanks,
Chris
Chris Souther
www.mindspring.com/~csouther
============================================================
The information contained in this message may be privileged
and confidential and protected from disclosure. If the reader
of this message is not the intended recipient, or an employee
or agent responsible for delivering this message to the
intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any reproduction,
dissemination or distribution of this communication is strictly
prohibited. If you have received this communication in error,
please notify us immediately by replying to the message and
deleting it from your computer. Thank you. Tellabs
============================================================
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word features support for every major Help
format plus PDF, HTML and more. Flexible, precise, and efficient content
delivery. Try it today!. http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l
