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Subject:RE: UNIX and Windows documentation From:Janice Gelb <janiceg -at- marvin -dot- eng -dot- sun -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 2 Apr 2002 12:03:01 -0800 (PST)
Ted Rainey writes:
>
>Has anyone been tasked with creating one set of docs for software that is
>available for multiple UNIX AND Windows platforms?
>The software operates similar for either platform, but obviously, examples
>and installation would be very different.
>I've had to navigate my way through doc designed for both in the past, and
>found it frustrating gleaning relevant info from a mixed set. Flipping
>through useless pages of C:\ and pictures of those little yellow folders can
>be a nuisance (and sometimes insulting) to our UNIX brethren, not to mention
>the effect the intimidating, text-filled screens and violent command names
>inherent to UNIX have on the Windows user.
>Does anyone have any suggestions for making this combined set of information
>manageable?
>
We have a similar problem with documenting software for
both the Solaris and the x86 platforms. Where things
are completely different (e.g., installation) we have
separate books. Where things are only different in some
aspects, but those are seriously different, we have
separate matching chapters with the name of the platform
in the title. Where just certain procedures are different,
we provide separate procedures and put the name of the
platform in the head. We also provide Notes from time
to time if there's something slightly different in an
explanation or concept, or if it only applies to one
platform. We put the name of the platform in the
bold intro to the Note.
HTH.
*********************************************************************
Janice Gelb | Just speaking for me, not Sun.
janice -dot- gelb -at- eng -dot- sun -dot- com | http://www.geocities.com/Area51/8018/
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