Re: Doc for multiple interfaces

[Penny Staples <pstaples -at- AIRWIRE -dot- COM>]

I've think I've got a bit of a bias against the "interface-independent"
documentation you've described. When I'm an end-user, I know I
prefer the documentation to be as straightforward and specific as
possible!

What about setting up a single document with conditional text?
I'm don't know what software you're using for documentation, but
I know that FrameMaker lets you set conditional text -- so you can
produce several different versions from the same source document.
Best of both worlds.

Penny Staples
pstaples -at- airwire -dot- com

>
> Charles Fisher wrote:
>
> > We are already writing what we call "interface-independent" doc, in
which
> > we don't discuss interface specifics for commands. For example, instead
of
> > writing "Press F10" or "Select File|Save," we simply write "Save your
> > work." There is a separate doc that gives specific about how to SAVE in
> > each interface. What we need help with is how to show screen images
with
> > respect to these different interface flavors. Do we
> >
> >    Produce a separate doc for each style of screen?
> >    Produce one doc that includes all styles of screens?
> >    Pick one style of screen and produce doc using it, not showing
others?
> Assuming your screens have _generally_ similar layouts, this might
> work.  Frame does this - FrameMaker manuals show, I believe, the Mac UI
> in all publications.
> >    Produce doc that does not have any screen images?
> >
> Another possibility that I've used: assuming the various interfaces are
> generally similar, produce a "generic" UI illustration - essentially
> line-drawings showing basic controls, without depicting controls
> specific to a particular UI.
>
> In my case, these line drawings were simple, black-and-white, with only
> basic control outlines, menus and labelling.
>
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