RE: Why I need an Index

["sbuckley" <sbuckley -at- onlinewriter -dot- com>]

Do you print the manuals?  It sounds like print isn't a high priority to
management.  If print isn't a high priority, you need to think of indexes a
whole new way.  In other words, you don't create them, you make it easier
for online search engines to find information. 

Guessing here, but is sounds like it is Word docs with full text search.  If
so and you are worried about synonyms then use hidden text to add them or
use a.k.a. weave them into your documentation.

Also, before you go to all the expense to make big indexes consider whether
you'll really have the resources to finish them and to keep them up in the
future.  A bad index is worse than none at all.  

Also, a machine generated index doesn't do real indexing, and is a bad index
(which is worse than none at all).  I once argued with a dev that the
purpose to indexes was to bring in synonyms, not just a list of words.  Even
after defining synonyms he wanted what amounted to a snap shot of a full
text search.  If that's all they want, make the full text search work well
instead of just doing it.  I took the issue to upper management and won.

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+sbuckley=onlinewriter -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+sbuckley=onlinewriter -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Kevin McGowan
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 10:04 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Why I need an Index


Just thought I'd share this one with the group.

On Friday, I was meeting with my bosses and we were discussing the doc 
projects and how I'm progressing. I pointed out that one extra project I 
wanted to do was to add Indexes to the current documentation. We have word 
files...and none of them have ever been Indexed. i've only been at this job 
a month, but I figured this would be well worth the time investment.

The question asked of me was: "Well, what's the point of an Index anyway? 
Can't the reader just use Ctrl-F?"

I'm not sure what anyone else would have said...but I just came back with 
"I'm going to make some indexes."

Kevin

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