Which is first: online or paper?

[Jane Bergen <janeb -at- AIRMAIL -dot- NET>]

Just curious.... how many of you who write both online and paper docs
for the same software start with online, then develop paper? How many
begin with paper? I've seen some interesting messages lately that
lead me to believe there might be a sizable split on this list for both
directions.

I use Word and Doc-to-Help, and try as I might, I simply cannot use
the same "entity" for both as Wextech suggests. I've tried starting
with paper then online (usually easiest) and once went the other
direction. I don't know if I'm missing something here. . . .

If I convert my paper to online, I have a lot of clean-up to do
because I believe the online should be much leaner and meaner than
paper. Also, I can't use the same document for printed as for online
because I often have to use "keep-with-next" in paragraph
formatting, then go hunting to remove it all for Doc-to-help.

If I convert online to paper,it ends up sounding choppy
and missing something. Maybe I just have a pro-paper bias. Please
don't misunderstand. I'm not trying to start another holy war about
online vs. paper. I'm just trying to learn about the methodology
involved in managing both.

Thanks,

Jane Bergen



............................................................................
 Jane Bergen    Technical Writer
 janeb -at- answersoft -dot- com   or   janeb -at- airmail -dot- net
    "The difference between the right word and the almost right word
     is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug"
     (Mark Twain)
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