Re: writing online help

[Tracy Taylor <ipsque -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

I can also suggest:
   
  Is the Help Helpful? How to Create Online Help That Meets Your Users' Needs (Paperback) 
by Jean Hollis Weber, Tamar E. Granor
   
  Cheers, Tracy

Pro TechWriter <pro -dot- techwriter -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:
  Hi Lev:

I can suggest a couple of books. Both books are available from the Wiley
Technical Communication Library (http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/). The first
one was written by William Horton, titled "Desiging and Writing Online
Documentation"; the second is Standards of Online Communication by JoAnne
Hackos. Both have lots of helpful information, and you could pick and choose
the information you need to know to get your project up and running.

Good luck,
PT


On 11/14/06, Lev Abramov wrote:
>
> Folks, I'm a new kid on the block, so if I am asking something so obvious
> it's not worth a mouse-click, please don't flame me. I am also quite new
> to
> the technical writing as a profession. If this has been discussed before -
> my apologies for bringing it up again.
>
> OK, the disclaimer being over and done with, here's the query.
>
> We make commsat-related equipment (satellite telephony, to be precise), so
> what needs to be documented is either pure software, or some combination
> of
> software and hardware solution. The network management system is a
> software
> program, of course, running on a MS Windows server.
>
> I've been writing manuals for a while; now I may also be trusted to create
> an online help file, which seems like a totally different ball game. I
> have
> no technical problem generating a help file in an authoring system - my
> problem is the philosophy.
>
> And no, single-sourcing is not a solution, because the paper-based manual
> already exists, but does not seem suitable for conversion into online help
> -
> it is largely system-based, not function-based. I will probably have to
> rewrite it or create a totally new "how-to"document for online help.
>
> What online sources are you familiar with that explain in more detail the
> philosophy and the logistics of WRITING online help? Can you recommend a
> tutorial with some examples?
>
> What other suggestions can you make?
>
> Any and all advice will be appreciated.
>
> Cheers -
>
> Lev
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I'm a Technical Technical Writer!
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