Re: Shopping by reading the manual (was: Post current product user docs to company website)

["Raj Machhan" <raj -dot- machhan -at- gmail -dot- com>]

Great to see that top quality documentation is finally getting its due in
terms of its importance in sales.
 It could be a bit different for other products....but as far as a software
applications is concerned the Technical documentation/ marketing collateral
actually is the FACE of the product. A customer randomly checking out a
software is likely to read a information sheet or a PPT about the software
even before launching the software. God help the sales guys, if the quality
of these documents is not good. Further, if the customer launches the
software and finds that one is not able to make any headway because of a
poorly written Help file, in 99 per cent of the cases one will reject the
software. The documentation actually reflects the rigor that has gone into
creating a software application.

Raj

On Dec 19, 2007 4:45 AM, Julie Stickler <jstickler -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:

> > But it pays to remember that some folks really do decide how good our
> product is by reading
> > the fine manual.
>
> Absolutely!  As a tech writer software documentation is definately a
> selling point for me.
>
> When I was comparing Flare and AuthorIt it seemed like they both met
> my list of requirements for a HATT.  But one of the reasons I went
> with Flare was because I'd already discovered that my developers had
> never created context sensitive Help links and I found Help topics
> written for *developers* that explained how to to link to a Help
> system.  Sweet!  Plus, the Flare Help system was task oriented, and
> Author-IT's Help system was more heavily features based.
>
> Julie
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
> printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
> Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
> http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
>
> True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
> Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
> documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

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