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Subject:FW: alternative to autonumbering From:Bill Burns <BillDB -at- ILE -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 5 Aug 1999 13:43:25 -0600
Joanne isn't able to respond on list and gave me permission to post here
response to me.
==================
Joanne wrote:
> :Joanne, could you elaborate on the rationale behind this :strategy?
>
> The issue comes down to tech support, not localization. They want
> tech support to be able to reference any language manual from the
> same section, rather than pages:
>
> User: how do I close this @#$% program?
>
> TechSupport: did you read the manual? <grin> In Chapter 3,
> section 3.1, item 3.1.9, you'll find complete instructions.
>
> User: but my manual is in Spanish, not French!
>
> TechSupport: the sections are the same, it's just the page numbers
> that may be different. Check that section, it'll explain it all.
>
> It makes perfect sense to use numbering, but surely there's a
> better alternative.
===================
Barring locale-specific tech support, I can see the impetus of this
decision. However, how is a non-English speaking person supposed to
communicate the problem to the tech-support person? Is this whole strategy
based on an in-country support model? Is the assumption that most technical
people in other countries speak English well enough to describe a problem
adequately to the tech support person? (Having dealt with tech support in
the US, even native fluency in the language is often not enough for tech
support to solve a problem.) I dunno--seems like a strange assumption to
make. Given this assumption, though, I can see the rationale, even if I
don't think it's well considered.
Bill Burns - Eccentric Technology Consultant
International Communications Design & Development
billdb -at- ile -dot- com
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