Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!Mike_G_Newman
From: Mike_G_Newman@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Inside Mac
Message-ID: <10785@cup.portal.com>
Date: 2 Nov 88 08:43:58 GMT
References: <19358@apple.Apple.COM> <10330069@eecs.nwu.edu>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 31

Here we go re-inventing the wheel on this topic.  There must be many
organizations who have dealt successfully with the problem of presenting
instructional or operational material that changes from time to time.

I happen to work for a large government agency whose operational manuals
cover about 15 feet of shelf space.  We use a loose leaf system along with
numbered "tansmittals" that are used to update specific sections.  You
keep track of transmittal numbers to make sure that each section is up-
to_date.  Pages are numbered with a decimal system that includes the
section and subsection in the whole number part and the 'page' number
in the decimal part.  Letters are added if an extra page gets inserted.
It is always easy to tell if a section is 'whole'.  Since the page number
tells you exactly where you are, specific references are independent of
the actual number of pages.  (Does that make sense?)

On the negative side, keeping the thing up-to-date is a pain.

Our agency has tried and abandoned a number of alternatives:
perfect bound among them.  It seems to be cheaper and more efficient
to use the loose leaf format.  However, if discipline declines,
the system fails.

We also use a system in which 'program notes' are distributed which
are not interfiled with the manual, but which explain specific and
perhaps timely topics or which are reminder items.  These can be 
created and distributed more quickly then manual revisions and 
generally have a specific and limited life time.

Any thoughts from other organizations?

mike_g_newman@cup.portal.com