Re: Online vs. Print Documentation

["Melinda M. Carr" <melindac -at- CAPSOFT -dot- COM>]

I've been wondering about this too.

For our upcoming release, we considered putting the basics in the print
manual and the more advanced topics in the online help system. However,
when we posted this idea to our users list, we found our users are still
vehemently against this.

What we ended up doing instead is focus on the main idea or topic,
illustrate it with lots of callouts, and cover advanced or esoteric
topics as hints. (The manuals are still at press. We are keeping our
fingers crossed that our users will like this compromise.)

Now we are getting ready to turn our attention to the helps. My
supervisor feels very strongly that everything should be in the helps. In
the past, the helps have been a repeat of the manual, only with jumps.
However, our new, more graphical interface won't work in the helps. (It
probably would if we knew enough, but given time limitations and the ruts
of tradition, I don't see it happening this release.) So I am not sure
what the relationship should be between the manual and the helps.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Melinda (melindac -at- capsoft -dot- com)