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Re: I'm sticking with WinHelp (was Re: WinHelp on Vista - a useful link)

Subject: Re: I'm sticking with WinHelp (was Re: WinHelp on Vista - a useful link)
From: "Bill Swallow" <techcommdood -at- gmail -dot- com>
To: "Mike Starr" <mike -at- writestarr -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2006 11:53:39 -0400

> The quality of your documentation? Or the quality of your
> implementation? There's a big difference between the two, and there
> isn't a glaring gap in quality of implementation between HLP and CHM.

The gap in quality of implementation between HLP and CHM is that HLP allows
me to easily create popup windows that can contain formatted text with
embedded links and it also allows me to create topic windows that have
non-scrolling regions that I believe are a benefit to the user.

So you're looking for transition of old functionality and not
investigating new design considerations?

> They'll use Vista Help. ;-)

Well, I'm certainly not going to embrace this mythical format until I've had
a chance to actually see it.

Hmmm. Well, it's certainly not mythical, because I've seen it many
times over the past 2 years.

> Provided it's legal to do so. We haven't seen the legalese behind the
> WinHelp viewer download yet.

I'd venture a guess that when Vista is released there'll be a great hue and
cry about the need for the WinHelp engine.

I believe that was the whole point of announcing waning support of
WinHelp in advance. Sometimes you have to give the heads-up and leave
it to the 3rd party folks to deal with the mess of not complying.
Otherwise you're spending too much energy in maintenance and not
enough on moving forward.

formatted popups with embedded links and non-scrolling regions

I won't deny you that this functionality is hard to implement or is
not possible to implement in other help formats, but have you explored
other design considerations?

> I'm not sure Ralph Walden would entirely agree with you there.

Can you suggest any other reason Microsoft might have had for HTML Help? I
can't imagine you or anyone else would seriously suggest that it's superior
in any way to WinHelp.

Something new (at the time) to embrace the emergence of HTML in a
business environment? Just a hunch.

Sure there are other help formats but as of right now, I think the only
serious contenders are WinHelp, HTML Help and the (currently vaporware)
Vista Help.

Then I think you're short-changing yourself.

The holes are in attempting to present a compelling argument to make a
switch, not in presenting an argument NOT to switch. If it ain't broke, no
need to fix it and the only argument anyone seems to be making that WinHelp
is broke is that Microsoft says it's deprecated... but it may not be as
deprecated as folks would like it to be.

Compelling argument to switch? WinHelp no longer meets Microsoft
standards. It may not be broke, but it doesn't fit the context of
current and planned future Windows computing standards. This is not me
saying this; it's well-documented by Microsoft.

--
Bill Swallow
HATT List Owner
WWP-Users List Owner
Senior Member STC, TechValley Chapter
http://techcommdood.blogspot.com
avid homebrewer and proud beer snob
"I see your OOO message and raise you a clue."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word features support for every major Help format plus PDF, HTML and more. Flexible, precise, and efficient content delivery. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l

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Follow-Ups:

References:
I'm sticking with WinHelp (was Re: WinHelp on Vista - a useful link): From: Mike Starr
Re: I'm sticking with WinHelp (was Re: WinHelp on Vista - a useful link): From: Bill Swallow
Re: I'm sticking with WinHelp (was Re: WinHelp on Vista - a useful link): From: Mike Starr

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