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Are you sure you have permission from the 3rd parties to include their
documentation? Not that this is a big issue, but many 3rd-party software
agreements forget to include redistribution rights for the
documentation! I saw this happen at another company. I'm pretty sure
that the 3rd party doesn't care, but you ought to look into it. If
nothing else, you'll look like a really sharp writer!
I prefer not to include third-party documentation, if I can manage it.
For example, I worked on a product that included the Java 1.4.x SDK. At
first, we included the SDK Javadoc in our product, but we eventually
removed it and instead linked to the Javadoc at the Java web site.
Javadoc is an interesting case. Is it documentation or software?
If you have to include 3rd-party documentation, make *certain* that you
include it in a separate file or deliverable and *don't* put your
name/copyright/whatever on it, unless you have a specific agreement to
do that. I make every effort to mark 3rd-party documentation with that
company's approved copyright and legal information.
Having said all this, I think you should get your engineers and product
managers to handle the updating issues, in the same way that they handle
updated software. I think you should *not* update 3rd-party
documentation. That's neither your responsibility nor your privilege.
Joe
Joe Malin
Technical Writer
(408)625-1623
jmalin -at- tuvox -dot- com
www.tuvox.com
The views expressed in this document are those of the sender, and do not
necessarily reflect those of TuVox, Inc.
-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-techwr-l-216553 -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:bounce-techwr-l-216553 -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Sean
Hower
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2005 8:38 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: managing, updating, incorporating 3rd-party docs
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