Re: How to document for html and Word -- don't imitate MS's goofs

From: Alan Horkan (horkana@maths.tcd.ie)
Date: Sun Feb 02 2003 - 11:49:54 EST

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    On Sun, 2 Feb 2003, Paul Schmidt wrote:

    > Date: Sun, 2 Feb 2003 08:42:43 -0500
    > From: Paul Schmidt <pschmidt@interlog.com>
    > To: abiword-user@abisource.com
    > Subject: Re: How to document for html and Word -- don't imitate MS's goofs
    >
    > On February 1, 2003 08:12 pm, Jeremiah Foster wrote:
    > > Yeah. I agree.
    > >
    > > On Sat, 2003-02-01 at 18:46, r coyne wrote:
    > > > First, your "documentation" essentially consists
    > > > entirely of menu trees, i.e., where to find the
    > > > command. But the whole point of menus and windowing
    > > > shells generally is supposed to be to eliminate or
    > > > greatly reduce the need for that sort of thing. *snip*
    > >
    > > You're right, the GUI should be obvious.
    > >
    > > > my suggestion is that you need to include *other*
    > > > information as well.
    > >
    > > So I guess you are saying that a how-to should aim for the sweet spot
    > > that adds information to intermediate users and explains things to the
    > > novice?
    >
    > I think the problem is that we tend to write this stuff bass-ackwards in that
    > really under save as, the format is more important then the extension, but
    > the use is most important. A short description of each format available
    > would be most helpful.
    >
    > Something like this:
    >
    > Save as File Types.
    >
    > Abiword (.abw) Abiwords native format, use this when you don't need
    > compatability with other software.
    > Word (.doc) Microsoft's Word format, suitable when you need compatability
    > with Word97 or later.
    >
    > and so on .... through all of the supported formats.
    >
    > This makes it easier for new users to decide what format they would like to
    > use, and removes the complexity of having to remember what type does what.

    If it does not already exist I am sure David Chart would appreciate you
    writing addiontal documentation describing each file format.

    If you are proposing that we redesign the file save as dialog to
    inlcude verbose descriptions of each file format then you
    will be very much dissapointed, for various reasons (which i will explain
    if you force me) this wont happen.

    Alan Horkan
    http://advogato.org/person/AlanHorkan/

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