TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:PDFs and Online Documentation From:ekandl -at- unitechsys -dot- com (Erick Kandl) To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 10 May 2000 16:52:15 -0500
Really, this is an issue of clarity. When someone talks about "online
help", it is clear that they are describing the help system included
in a product.
When I talk about "online documentation", I find that some people
confuse what I am talking about with online help; others seem to get
it no problem. Currently, I produce PDF files from native FrameMaker
and Word documents. I then organize those files and put them on a
CD-ROM with a splash screen and some menus with links to individual
documents. This is what I am describing when I talk about online
documentation.
I searched the archive and found references to "online help", "online
help documentation", "publishing books online", and a few "online doc"
hits. I didn't find anything that discussed what I am looking for
though. My questions are really quite simple:
(1) What do you think of when you hear someone refer to "online
documentation"?
(2) Is referring to PDF files as "online documentation" appropriate?
If not, then what would you call that documentation?