Re: phrasing of unavailable options

["Parks, Beverly" <ParksB -at- EMH1 -dot- HQISEC -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL>]

Brace yourselves. In my case, believe it or not, the menu option for
that future feature is actually *in the software*. Yup... if you select
the menu item "Check Review Items" a little message box pops up and
reads "To be developed...."  I kid you not.

Otherwise, James, I agree with you completely. If the future feature
wasn't in the software, then I most certainly wouldn't mention it in the
documentation anywhere.

Bev Parks
parksb -at- emh1 -dot- hqisec -dot- army -dot- mil


>-----Original Message-----
>From:  James Lockard [SMTP:norton -at- MCS -dot- NET]
>Sent:  Wednesday, November 05, 1997 6:57 PM
>To:    TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>Subject:       Re: phrasing of unavailable options
>
>Bev Parks said,
>
>>I've used "This option will be implemented in a future release" in text.
>>Like Barb, I don't know how it would work in online help.
>
>Due to a recent event at work, this subject has been on my mind recently.
>Is it just a personal pet peeve of mine, or shouldn't we really try to
>avoid including these sorts of predictions in our manuals? I mean, the
>software creation process being what it tends to be, what happens if a
>feature we've dutifully stated is forthcoming never appears?
>
>IMHO, this sort of conditional information about what will be belongs in
>memos or perhaps README files, but not in a manual. Manuals should
>accurately describe what the product is now and what the product does now.
>Otherwise, you are inviting all sorts of maintenance nightmares.
>
>Why would you want to include a statement like "planned future option" or
>"will be implemented in a future release" in the manual or online help?
>
>James Lockard
>norton -at- mcs -dot- net
>jamesl -at- dmti -dot- com
>
>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From:  Barb Ostapina [SMTP:Barb -dot- Ostapina -at- METROMAIL -dot- COM]
>>>I've used "CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE (Planned future option)"
>>>in text. Don't know how it would work in online help.
>>>
>>>
>>>Hello all,
>>>
>>>I'm working on an online help file and I have to state that an option is
>>>unavailable, but will be with future enhancements....etc. Any
>>>suggestions on a good way to phrase this?
>>>...
>>>Kristen
>>>(klor -at- intface -dot- com)
>
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>

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