RE: Start button/Program menu in Windows Vista

["Tariel, Lauren R" <lt34 -at- saclink -dot- csus -dot- edu>]

Paul,
 
I haven't had to document Vista yet, but I don't think that it will be very difficult to change documentation if that was necessary.  I don't usually make concessions for differences between the Windows classic interface and the XP interface, so I doubt that I would make many concessions for Vista.  My directions generally read like "open the application" and I only concern myself with how users get there when the user is a Windows novice, in which case, I might say something like "double-click on the desktop shortcut" or "open the application from the Start menu."
 
The new Windows entertainment-rich O/S interface Vista, still has program folders 'in' the Start menu, but there is also a partial word search box at the bottom of the folders list.  Users can now drill-down -or- search, so I don't think that the addition of the search will really require a special documentation effort.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/features/foreveryone/searchorg.mspx#more <http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/features/foreveryone/searchorg.mspx#more> 
 
As far as the word "Start" for the start menu goes, I don't know why the missing word should pose a problem because the Start menu is still called a Start menu.  Most Windows users (even novice ones) know how to get there and don't really need explicit directions like "click the word 'Start' to open the Start menu."
 
Personally, I think that I will try Vista before I buy it.  I'm afraid that I might lose the familiarity I have with Windows now.  I usually create icon folders on my desktop for applications and documents for a rather Progman-like feel because it is familiar.
 
Lauren


________________________________

From: techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus -dot- edu -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com on behalf of Paul Hanson
Sent: Tue 1/9/2007 12:30 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Start button/Program menu in Windows Vista



I was looking at this page:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/web/expert/bowman_vistapreview.
mspx and in the "Find your programs on the Start menu" section, I
noticed that the "Start" button is now an icon. Also, the entire
navigation to an app on the Start menu has been changed to have an entry
field where the user types the name of the app.

Has anyone had to address this specific user interface change in their
doc?

If you haven't had to address it yet, I'd be interested in your thoughts
re: how you plan to handle it.

Are you going to include a graphic of the new "Start" icon?

Are you still going to refer to it as "Start" button even though the
word "Start" is now missing?

Are you going to instruct the user to type "the entire name of your app"
in your instructions to find it and then double-click?

Are you going to have two navigation paths, one for Vista, one for XP
and lower?

I've identified this user interface will impact the following in the doc
I maintain:
|
 15 Internal doc HTML files
 70 End-User Word doc files to evaluate <== there could be more than one
reference       in a single Word doc]
113 End-User HTML files
|
If you have an example you can share, I'd be interested in a starting
point re: how to handle this in my doc.

Paul Hanson
Technical Writer
RoboHelp ACE -
http://www.macromedia.com/support/forums/team_macromedia/robohelp.html
Quintrex Data Systems http://www.quintrex.com
email: phanson at quintrex.com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

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

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team authoring,
Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/lt34%40csus.edu


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

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

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team authoring,
Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- infoinfocus -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40infoinfocus.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.