Re: buttons graphics in documentation

[Hulda Hime <hulda -at- WW-WEB -dot- COM>]

Personally, I like it.  I don't read documentation...I know very few people
who do.  As most of my users, I use it only when I need to do something.
In that situation, I want to see the buttons, etc. in front of me rather
than having to refer to another section to see what the button looks like.
I'm of the school that believes in simple instructions.  I don't want to
read "Click the button that looks like a camera."  Show me the button.
I've used this method in a few manuals and the users liked it.

Just my opinion...


-- Hulda R. Hime --
hulda -at- ww-web -dot- com

----------
> From: Ginny Allemann <ginny -at- TECHRESOURCE -dot- ORG>
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: buttons graphics in documentation
> Date: Monday, June 22, 1998 6:21 PM
>
> Hello everyone:
>
> I've been following this list for a couple of months now.  I think you
will
> probably be able to give me some good advice on this question.
>
> Should little screenshots of icons and buttons be placed in-line in print
> documentation (not on-line)?
>
> My co-worker says that  this would save space and not force the reader to
> take their attention away from the text in order to take in the graphic.
>
> I think it looks odd, and reads oddly, especially if the button icon is
not
> referred to with a name. It also seems like the size of the icon alters
the
> line spacing so that it is not uniform throughout.
>
> I have checked MS Manual of Style on this-- couldn't find anything.
>
> Could you tell me what you think or give me some suggestions of where to
> look for standards?
>
> Thank you very much.
> -Ginny
>
> ************************
> Ginny Allemann
> Technology Resource Institute
> (206) 374-3318
> ************************
>
>
>