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From: derek@sun4dts.dts.ine.philips.nl (derek)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.pascal
Subject: Re: Borland flaming
Message-ID: <711@sun4dts.dts.ine.philips.nl>
Date: 11 Apr 91 14:39:52 GMT
References: <memo.898989@lynx.northeastern.edu> <91100.145807SPRAGGEJ@QUCDN.QueensU.CA>
Lines: 33

SPRAGGEJ@QUCDN.QueensU.CA (John G. Spragge) writes:

>Grown-ups should be aware of how difficult it is to write good
>documentation. Grown-ups should be aware that the manual that looks
>like a model of simplicity and clarity to them may be incomprehensible
>to someone else. Generally, a manual is "good" if you understand it,
>and "bad" if you don't.

>In other words, flame manuals only with extreme care! A manual is a
>set of compromises: no documentation can satisfy everyone. Only in
>cases of the most extreme ineptitude is a flame justified; and I
>have yet to see Borland's documentation deserve flames.

Here, here - as a manual writer myself, you really have hit the nail on
the head. However, the original flamers have a point. I would disagree
with the way they put it, and the expected method of resolution. For 
most users and in most cases, the standard documentation is fine. What
seems to me to be missing, is a rather more 'in depth' appreciation of
the way that the compiler does things, etc. 

Now, this _could_ be covered by optional documentation (i.e. if you need it
you pay for it). But I think this would be prohibitively expensive to 
produce. However, did I see something like for sale recently? If not, then
some form of technical support - a help line - might work out. 

Interestingly, Quarterdeck issue so-called white papers periodically, with
frequently asked questions (of a technical nature) and the answers. Perhaps
Borland could follow this path. Certainly, I agree that _deep_ technical 
help should be available, and that by (e)mail.

Best Regards, Derek Carr
DEREK@DTS.INE.PHILIPS.NL           Philips I&E TQV-5 Eindhoven, The Netherlands 
Standard Disclaimers apply.