Re: WIN-Help

Subject: Re: WIN-Help
From: RJACOBSE -at- GPS -dot- COM
Date: Tue, 12 Aug 1997 10:58:53 -0500

Ellen,
Take a peek at the Winhlp-l listserv. You can find subscription info at:
http://www.humberc.on.ca/~byrnes/winhelp.html

Some top-of-my-head comments:
1) writing for WIN-HELP -- Take time before you begin writing to design a
help model that fits your situation. Specifically, think about how the user
will use hypertext to navigate, what entry points you'll have, the types of
information you're presenting (procedural, glossaries, context-sensitive
field or window help, etc.), the kinds of windows you'll use. Do some
prototyping (start with paper prototypes and later move to a WinHelp one),
and have some real-life users test them and give feedback. Set standards
and adhere to them. After you've made some of these decisions, then you
should start evaluating tools; otherwise, you may find you have to
compromise your vision in order to fit the constraints or world-view of a
particular HAT.

2) the pros and cons of using WIN-HELP -- On the plus side, the viewer
comes with every installation of Windows. On the minus side, the viewer
comes with every installation of Windows--but no other platforms. Granted,
there are viewers for other platforms available, but not for free.
WinHelp is a powerful hypertext delivery application, and the cost to get
started is minimal. There are many excellent authoring tools available, but
you can get by with nothing more than Notepad, Word for Windows, and the
help compiler. And there are plenty of extensions available if you want to
start adding custom features and multimedia.

Hope that helps.

Roy Jacobsen
rjacobse -at- gps -dot- com
Date : 08/12/97 10:35 AM
To : TECHWR-L @ LISTSERV.OKSTATE.EDU
cc : (bcc: ScribeTribe)

From : SmithEl @ RF.SUNY.EDU

Subject : WIN-Help
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Hello all. I am coming out of "lurk" mode to solicit some information on
WIN-HELP.
Here at my organization we are anticipating the development of several
Window-based applications for our company's Intranet site that will
require
a Help facility. I am part of a group of writers who will be responsible
for writing the information for whatever Help facility we choose, and we
are
currently looking into WIN-HELP.
Any information specifically on
1) writing for WIN-HELP
2) the pros and cons of using WIN-HELP and
3) any additional references that would be helpful (e.g. listservs, books,
etc.)
would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Ellen Smith
Editor/Writer
SUNY Research Foundation
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