On-line docs

[Melissa Hunter-Kilmer <mhunterk -at- BNA -dot- COM>]

   I've been out on vacation for a while and don't know how to access the
   techwr-l archives, so please excuse any repetition.

   1.  Are there any generally accepted rules of thumb as to what should be
   put on line and what (if anything) should go in hard copy?

   2.  How do we handle levels of help?  For instance, how do we manage to
   answer the various needs, such as (whoops! that's another thread) "What
   the heck is this?", "How do I use it?", "Why would I want to do that?",
   and "Why on earth did the machine do what it did?"  Bonni Graham addressed
   this issue a while back, and I think others probably have some worthwhile
   input here too.

   3.  Can anybody recommend a good seminar on on-line docs?  I've gotten a
   bazillion come-ons in the mail, but I'd rather hear some personal
   recommendations from techwhirlers.

   4.  Does anybody know how to get at the techwr-l archives?

   1K TIA!

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   BNA and I have a deal -- I don't speak for the company, and it doesn't
   speak for me.

           ********

   P.S. By the way, a while back I asked what people would call a tech writer
   in French.  I did have occasion to tell a French friend that I am a
   redacteur technique, and she figured that I probably worked for a
   newspaper.  Oh, well, close enough for casual conversation.