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Re: Index vs. Search

Subject: Re: Index vs. Search
From: "Fred Ridder" <docudoc -at- hotmail -dot- com>
To: jmccrooks -at- cwjamaica -dot- com, techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 19:49:48 -0400

No, I'm not an indexer as my primary activity. In fact, at
the moment I am just another unemployed tech writer
(for the first time in many years) because my last employer
closed down their operations here in New Jersey.

But I am a firm believer in the value to users of good indexes.
I even convinced a former employer to hire Lori Lathrop to
teach a 2-day indexing workshop for our staff of 2 dozen
or so writers. (Too bad that was just before a 30% RIF that
relegated indexes to the non-essential list in our documentation
planning...)

-Fred Ridder


From: <jmccrooks -at- cwjamaica -dot- com>
To: "Fred Ridder" <docudoc -at- hotmail -dot- com>,steve -at- writersbookmall -dot- com, zenizenc -at- gmail -dot- com, techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Index vs. Search
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 18:20:47 -0500

Well said, Fred. Are you an indexer?

Jessica


On Fri, 07 Sep 2007 12:30:24 -0400
"Fred Ridder" <docudoc -at- hotmail -dot- com> wrote:
A search function only works when the users knows the
specific words that appear in the content of the help
system (or other information deliverable). It's the
*index* that can help users get to the get to the right
place if they know the concept by a different term.
Of course, this assumes that we're talking about an
intelligently compiled index and not one based on a
simple concordance, since that kind of index is no
more helpful than a search function.

-Fred Ridder



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References:
Re: Index vs. Search: From: jmccrooks

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