RE: Would like your opinion...(Reference to Related Documentation)

["Combs, Richard" <richard -dot- combs -at- Polycom -dot- com>]

SB quoted an exchange between herself and A (boy, we're saving
keystrokes today!<g>): 
 
> S >> If you need to reference, you should say, refer to the 
> Switch User Manual listed under Section ...
> 
> [A] I think that sounds too long winded. I like "...refer to 
> Switch User Manual [1]". This is a standard form. If the 
> reader doesn't know what that means he has not read many 
> academic works in his life, IMO.

To which I'd reply: Is this an academic work? Is our audience made up of
professors and grad students? Even if some of the readers have read many
academic works, would they expect to see academic citations in this
manual?

I'm guessing from the manual title that the answer to all three
questions is no. 

Personally, I don't get the point of the "listed under Section ..."
reference either. Why send readers to a list of other manuals in another
section of this manual? You've already told them which other manual to
go to, so that's where they should go, not to your list. Bringing the
list into it is like saying, "See foobar on page 73, as listed in the
index on page 334."

Richard


------
Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Polycom, Inc.
richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
303-223-5111
------
rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
303-777-0436
------




^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.