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Subject:Re: Should I document this feature? From:Mike Stockman <mstockman -at- gmail -dot- com> To:TECHWR-L Writing <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Fri, 6 Aug 2010 10:35:25 -0400
On Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 10:22 AM, Joe Weinmunson <litlfrog -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:
> There are three menu functions that involve the
> license: updating, reading license information, and copying a license
> from one file to another. However, I can't think of any situation
> where the end user can or should be using those menu functions if
> they're not on the phone with tech support anyway. Should I leave
> those commands out of the documentation completely? Explain what each
> one does? Or take some kind of middle road? Thanks.
>
Document them all, but include some explanation similar to "This command is
not required for normal product use. However, a technical support
representative may ask you to [whatever] in the course of product
troubleshooting. Unless you're asked to [whatever], you can ignore this
command."
Otherwise, the user is left wondering whether you forgot to mention
something important, and will break the licensing by fiddling around to see
what it does. Which may happen anyway, but, you know, we can only put up a
sign saying "Bridge Out," we can't help them apply the brakes.
Hope this helps,
Mike
--
Mike Stockman
ICQ #: 19165236 AIM: MStockman
MSN Messenger: mstockman -at- hotmail -dot- com
Yahoo: me_stockman GMail Talk: mstockman -at- gmail -dot- com
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