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Responding to your frustrations using online help systems, I agree
enthusiastically. I haven't designed any online help systems, and
I certainly would be ashamed to put my name to most I've seen. It does
seem to me that the technology is such that they should be more
intelligent. They seem to assume you already know how to find the
information you are looking for. In fact, it's generally something very
obsure or you would probably not need help. I think your comment on the
lack of synonyms is right on target.
George Allaman | |
Tech Writer | <clever, meaningful |
Denver, Colorado | quip which somehow |
Office (303) 624-1619 | summarizes my life |
Home (303) 771-8060 | philophy> |
Alternate: georgea -at- csn -dot- net | |
On Thu, 9 Nov 1995, Colleen Dancer (02) 333-1862 wrote:
> I don't know whether an index is needed but I definitely know that as a
> user online helps almost never uses the vocabulary that I use. In other
> words, nine times out of ten I can't find the information. I don't know
> whether it isn't there or whether I can't find it. I usually find that
> help systems don't use nearly enough synonyms to help me find anything
> but the stuff I don't want. Nor do I want to go to multiple levels to
> find it, I want it first time (the holy grail :) ) As an experienced
> computer user I find online help systems generally drive me nuts. I have
> to click too many buttons, try too many synonyms, guess at what the
> program thinks a function is under and generally waste too much time. In
> fact I usually find the manual is quicker. (Especially when you find it
> and can't print it eg in word 6 you can't print a "how to" :( ) I also
> find that too often I have a specific very detailed question and I can
> only look at generic levels of topics so I have to guess which topic it
> is in :(
