Software rage syndrome

Subject: Software rage syndrome
From: "Mike Starr" <writstar -at- wi -dot- net>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 8 Mar 2002 21:14:46 -0600

A recent somewhat tongue-in-cheek commentary posted at
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1107-852765.html included the following
commentary and I thought it would be good fodder for discussion here on the
list.

>Software Rage Syndrome is the result of:
>
>Software in which seemingly simple tasks are not explained in the help
>documentation.
>
>Online help systems that make it difficult to find the solution to a
>problem, often because the specific text of error messages cannot be
>found in the knowledge base.
>
>Software that no longer comes with printed documentation or any easy way
>for customers to print the online documentation, sometimes requiring
>users to run the application on two machines so the online help is
>available on one machine while the user manipulates the application on
>the other.

I'm inclined to agree with the commentary; some of my most vituperitive
outbursts over the last several years have occurred as a result of help
files that seemed to deliberately prevent me from getting the information I
needed.

Mike

---
Mike Starr WriteStarr Information Services
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Home (262) 694-0932 - mike -at- writestarr -dot- com - http://www.writestarr.com


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