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Subject:Re: Indexing HTML documents From:"Bledsoe,Bill" <bledsoebl -at- AGEDWARDS -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 7 Nov 1995 16:22:18 -0600
(picture in your mind Bill wincing, pausing, and then deciding to jump into
this one:-) )
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From: Lori Lathrop
To: Multiple recipients of list TEC
Subject: Re: Indexing HTML documents
Date: Tuesday, November 07, 1995 3:35PM
<SNIP>
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Yes, I do think that online documents should be indexed, no matter how
good the hypertext links are, because the index provides readers with a
topic analysis that shows how various topics relate to each other. No
other retrievability tool does that. Also, in online documents it is
especially important to include index entries for concepts that are not
explicitly stated in the text and, therefore, probably would not have
hypertext links.
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This is the graph that I have a problem with. Actually, there are
retrievability tools available in WinHelp and other formats (Folio Views)
that give you great "context" when clicking through hyperspace.
In WinHelp:
WinHelp Office HyperViewer
HDK: Both their graphical viewer and their bookshelf interface provide
great ways to relate topics to one another.
In Folio Views:
The Query function allows and displays graphically, full boolean searches.
Ultimately though, the online author must provide a graphical representation
of "where" the user is on EVERY topic. Associate an Icon with a
task/chapter. Have the icon display on each topic in that chapter. Provide
buttons to effectively navigate the online document without "losing" the
viewer. We do this no matter what our audience level.
$.02 again on this topic, making a grand total for this topic of $.04
Bill Bledsoe
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.
Systems Administration Center
Technical Writer
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Bill's opinions are bill's, not Ben's or anyone else's at AGE
"Junk moved on line is still junk. You can bet that if they
didn't read the hard copy version, they won't read the
on-line version either!"
Dr. Conrad Gottfredson, On-line Document Guru-guy
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