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Subject:RE: any cons to single sourcing? From:salatas <salatas -at- micron -dot- com> To:TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 18 Feb 2000 14:45:35 -0700
Melanie Shook wrote:
<snip>
>On another note, if I had to pick a preferred method of "help" for finding
>how-to information on complex questions, it wouldn't be a document at all,
>it would be a mail list. The lazy-man's way: just type your question,
click
>send, and wait for the answer...
Melanie,
Your comments further illustrate that there are many ways users seek
information.
Some software companies are using mailing lists (or "forums") as their only
free tech support. Some even depend on other users to answer questions, as
opposed to paid employees, but that usually works out for the better.
If you take all the questions generated by such a list (or by traditional
tech support channels, for that matter) you have the beginnings of a
Frequently Asked Questions list. Add a search capability, especially the
natural-language variety ("just type in your question"), and you have yet
another type of help.
Salette Latas
Technical Writer
salatas -at- micron -dot- com
