Re: Binders vs. Books

[jsokohl -at- CAMPBELLSOFT -dot- COM]

     I weigh in heavily _against_ binders...mostly because I consider the
     design a throwback to the '80s. Also, there are usability &
     connotative objections to binders, esp. 9x12 (inch) ones--most people
     don't have desk space sufficient to use them.

     Perfect-bound books do have usability issues (can't lay flat easily,
     unless you use "lay-flat" binding, which is even more expensive).
     That's why we settled on wire-o binding. Books lay flat, yet they're
     bound. Being bound provides permanence and a sense of authority to me,
     while binders imply that the documentation's less "real" (these are
     aesthetic judgments of mine, not researched results). Anyway, the 7x9
     (or 7x8.5) inch design seems to work. Also, I like having our
     documentation simulate (to a certain physical space degree) or evoke
     "commercial" doc--so many people now have computers in their homes as
     well as work areas that they're used to some form of paper
     documentation appearing.

     Long ramble to say I'd vote against binders. And I'd vote against
     change bars. And our motto here is, "Use point pages (38.1, 38.2,
     38.3, etc.), go to jail--it's the law!"

     joe
     Joe Sokohl
     Manager of Documentation
     Campbell Software, Inc.

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