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Subject:Paper/Paperless Doc From:Barry West <Barry_West -dot- S2K -at- S2KEXT -dot- S2K -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 14 Jun 1995 09:40:53 EDT
>The developer sees a book as a duplication of work. While my experience with
>both types says a duplication of effort exists, I would think our users would
>dictate the needs rather than a developer (read manager) who doesn't like to
>read books and relies upon the on-line exclusively.
You're right. Of course it's duplicate work, but if the developer considers
paper and on-line doc to be nothing more than just a duplication of effort,
he/she should ask why companies continue to provide both medium. This issue
seemingly never ends because somehow it has turned into a philosophical debate.
But this issue is anything but philosophical. It's about business, plain and
simple. When companies look to cut costs, paper doc is a nice target. Let's
face it, paper doc is expensive to reproduce and ship. The reality, however, is
that doc is an extension of the product, and it helps sell the product. Whether
or not your product becomes inferior in the minds of your customers because of
the lack of paper doc is for your customers to decide. The developer may have
the best motives in the universe for wanting to go paperless, but if that
decision doesn't cut it with your customers, it's probably a bad decision. I
have run into companies that provide no documentation because their product is
"obvious and self explanatory" (how many times have your heard that one). It
sounds as though your developer doesn't see doc as an extension of the product,
but rather a strict overhead item. Before you make any decisions, why don't you
survey your customers. If they want it, you need to decide on the ramifications
of not giving it to them. It's a basic principle of business. The only
philosophical question I can see in this is "How can your company best generate
revenues to keep itself in business."
Barry_West -dot- S2K -at- s2kext -dot- s2k -dot- com
