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Sounds like you have all the standard sections. I haven't done one in
awhile, but here are some thoughts:
* You definitely want to focus on the new features. Marketing will have some
ideas about this.
* Include plenty of screen shots and callouts for showing the new stuff in
the UI.
* I generally took the install and configuration information directly from
my manual. You may well get some feedback that way.
* Tell the reviewer where the default install folder is, even if you can
change that install folder. Most reviewers just click through the install,
and sometimes they want to find where the program resides.
* Make sure there's a knowledgeable contact person prominently listed in the
guide. You want to be as helpful as possible, and if the reviewer runs into
a problem, they should be able to call or email someone to get a prompt
answer.
Hope this helps.
Mike
Mike McCallister
Technical Communications Consultant
Author, "openSUSE Linux Unleashed" -- at bookstores now!
Notes from the Metaverse: http://metaverse.wordpress.com
On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 1:33 PM, Blount, Patricia A
<Patricia -dot- Blount -at- ca -dot- com>wrote:
> Good afternoon, all,
>
> A brief update to my earlier request for information on writing
> Reviewer's Guides:
>
> A meeting planned for this afternoon was just changed to tomorrow.
> Thanks to both Connie and Peter, who posed some questions I hope to have
> answered then.
>
> What I know right now is that this guide is intended for the media, who
> plan to review our latest software release (beta is done, so this is the
> market version). The goal is to obtain positive coverage in the trade
> journals.
>
> I plan to include a What's New section that describes the new features
> in terms of customer benefits and I know I need to provide instructions
> for obtaining, installing, and configuring the reviewer's version of the
> software.
>
> That's it, so far.
>
> Thanks,
> Patty B.
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