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From: gray@s5000.RSVL.UNISYS.COM (Bill Gray x2128)
Newsgroups: alt.hypertext,comp.text
Subject: Re: Designing Online Documentation
Keywords: document design conversion hypertext online CD-ROM user preferences
Message-ID: <40@s5000.RSVL.UNISYS.COM>
Date: 18 Nov 90 04:34:40 GMT
Organization: Unisys - Roseville, MN
Lines: 35


Sorry for this clumsy followup, but the reply and followup options on
our local copy of rn are kaput.  (We'll get it fixed Real Soon Now. :-)  

>From: mm@praxis.co.uk (Michael Mannion)
>Subject: Designing Online Documents
>Message-ID: <5514@newton.praxis.co.uk>
>Date: 14 Nov 90 16:41:48 GMT
>Sender: mm@praxis.co.uk
>

Mike asks four good questions relating to converting an existing paper
book to an online document.

We are moving towards increasing online documentation here, too.  We're
also looking into distributing our traditional paper doc on CD-ROM.

In addition to Mike Mannion's questions, may I add the following?

5.)  Can anyone suggest "essential" reading in online doc design?

6.)  Do users prefer online doc to paper doc?  Perhaps more to the point,
     do all classes of users have a preference, and is it the same?  For
     example, do programmers prefer paper while data entry personnel prefer
     online doc?  What studies exist to indicate preference by user task?

I'm glad Mike started this thread.  Conversion of documentation on a
large scale is a decidedly nontrivial task from any perspective.  It bears
some discussion.

-- 
: gray@rsvl.unisys.com                      : "There are four kinds of         :
:                                           :  homicide: felonious, excusable, :
: Unisys has enough problems without being  :  justifiable, and praiseworthy." :
: blamed for my personal opinions.          :     --Ambrose Bierce             :