Xref: utzoo comp.sys.mac.programmer:17032 comp.sys.mac.apps:1276 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!apple!apple.com!rmh From: rmh@apple.com (Rick Holzgrafe) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer,comp.sys.mac.apps Subject: Re: What file format should technical documentation be distributed in? Message-ID: <9925@goofy.Apple.COM> Date: 24 Aug 90 17:42:26 GMT References: <23862@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU> Sender: usenet@Apple.COM Organization: Apple Computer, Inc. Lines: 45 In article <23862@dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU> ari@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Ari Halberstadt) writes: > I am about to post a set of free XFCNs, including source code > and over 100 pages of documentation. The documentation has > been specially formatted in the style of technical documentation. > I would like to distribute the documentation so that the maximum > number of people will be able to read it, with all of its > formatting and illustrations intact. My question is, in what format > should the files be distributed? I recommend MacWrite format. It's a lowest common denominator, which means it can't handle fancy formatting. But every Mac word processor I've ever seen or heard of can read it. > Unless told otherwise, > I intend to distribute the files in Microsoft Word's Rich Text Format [RTF]. > Unfortunately, even when uploading into Microsoft Word 4.0, there are > some losses in the formatting commands. Most word processors can't read RTF. If you must have Word's formatting abilities, you might as well avoid RTF and distribute in Word's native format. > Obviously, the problem of distributing documentation for the Macintosh > is very serious. There seems to be no standard which will cope with > complicated formatting information. The Macintosh is supposed to > be easy to use, yet it requires its users to worry about obscure > file formats. This situation is reminiscent of the DOS world, a world > we would like to think the Macintosh has improved uppon. Yup. There are a few widely-used standards for graphics files, but none except MacWrite for formatted text. I'd like to see something like RTF become a widely-used standard, but as you say, there isn't much hope if even the company that authored the standard can't get it right. I still think your best alternative is MacWrite. It's not powerful, but *everyone* can read it. ========================================================================== Rick Holzgrafe | {sun,voder,nsc,mtxinu,dual}!apple!rmh Software Engineer | AppleLink HOLZGRAFE1 rmh@apple.com Apple Computer, Inc. | "All opinions expressed are mine, and do 20525 Mariani Ave. MS: 3-PK | not necessarily represent those of my Cupertino, CA 95014 | employer, Apple Computer Inc."