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Subject:Re: Need some disclaimer text From:"Michael West" <mbwest -at- bigpond -dot- net -dot- au> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Sat, 20 Apr 2002 10:01:38 +1000
Kim Schaefer" wrote:
> We're creating user doc for an early-ALPHA release of our product. I'd
like
> to include a disclaimer along with our copyright page that lets the users
> know that this doc is, at very best, a draft. Does anyone have a sample I
> could look at? I've checked the archives, didn't find anything that quite
> fits the bill.
As a tech writer perhaps you can write a
disclaimer that says what you want your
reader to know. You haven't said what
that is.
What is the point of telling readers that
what they are reading is a draft? Is the
point that they should expect a final copy
on such-and-such a date in the future?
Then tell them that.
Is the point that this draft contains errors
and they shouldn't pay much attention to
it? Well, tell them that if you want to, but
first consider how this might affect your
customer relations.
Is the point that the product is still in
development and might corrupt their
corporate data? Usually vendors use
release notes and legal agreements to
address these sorts of issues.
Just saying "this is a draft," no matter how
fancy the language you use to say it, doesn't
give the users information they can use. But if
that's all you need to say, a "DRAFT"
watermark is all you need to say it with.
--
Michael West
Melbourne
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