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Subject:Re: Printing screens, ethical Q&A From:"Taylor, Steve" <steve -dot- taylor -at- ALLEGIANCETELECOM -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 19 Jun 1998 15:08:44 -0500
There are times I've done small screen shots of Windows menus, like the
Start menu, just to help the user out. I hate to make readers of my
documentation search elsewhere for information if they don't need to. Not
that I'm going to repeat everything for them, but sometimes the small things
can help newbies.
------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Taylor
Consultant for Technical Directions, Inc.
On location at:
Allegiance Telecom, Inc.
Dallas, TX
(214) 853-7182
steve -dot- taylor -at- allegiancetelecom -dot- com http://www.alegiancetele.com
----------------------------------------------------------------
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bergen, Jane [SMTP:janeb -at- ANSWERSOFT -dot- COM]
> Sent: Friday, June 19, 1998 3:05 PM
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: Re: Printing screens, ethical Q&A
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Lisa Comeau [mailto:COMEAUL -at- CSA -dot- CA]
>
> > I may be (and probably am) wrong, but Windows is copyrighted
> > software, and it's illegal to copy the software, so why
> > wouldn't it be illegal to copy images of the software?
> > (snipped)
> > Or am I missing some critical piece of documentation that
> > says "Hey! You're allowed to use screen captures *Because*
> > you're writing manuals promoting the use of our software" ?
>
> I guess my question is, why would I be documenting WINDOWS??? If it's a
> Windows dialog, I refer the users to their Windows documentation. I only
> document our OWN software. Most user guides I've seen do the same
> (regardless of how bad the Windows docs may be...most are
> self-explanatory anyway).
>
> As for the rare, rare time when you would need to document a MS dialog,
> if it's something you use in your own software (such as the Print or
> Open dialogs), then Microsoft has given programmers permission to use
> those dialogs so technically you could assume permission to document
> them.
>
> Jane
> Jane Bergen, Technical Writer
> AnswerSoft, Inc.
> Richardson, TX (972)997-8355
>
> ~
>
