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Subject:Re: marginal :-) definit... From:Mike Pope <mikep -at- ASYMETRIX -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 29 Mar 1994 17:10:00 PST
While we're on the topic of indexing and glossaries and such, let me pose
this question for general pondering: do you index glossary entries (ie, does
the index lead people to the glossary)?
----------
>From: TECHWR-L
>To: Multiple recipients of list TECHWR-L
>Subject: Re: marginal :-) definit...
>Date: Monday, March 28, 1994 10:40PM
>Kelly Hoffman (and others) asks:
>"It would work for text that you expect will be read serially -- say, for
>an introductory chapter or a tutorial book.
>However, for a book that's more likely to be flipped through (random
>access, rather than sequential ;-), how would you deal with multiple
>references to the same term?"
>Good point. I definitely would include definition locations in the index
>(w/some indication that this is where the term is defined). It wouldn't
work
>in a reference book, that's true, and I probably wouldn't use this scheme
in
>that kind of manual. I guess I should have been more specific in that I
>think it would work great for one of my client's books/audience. We happen
>to know for a fact that they all do read the book, and read all of the book
>(even the parts they don't all need to, which is why we're restructuring
both
>the program and the doc set <grin>).
>The gist of the points that have been raised have to do with marginal
>definitions' suitability for tutorials or intros -- and I wholeheartedly
>agree. I don't want to have to search all over for a definition, and I
might
>have to in a reference book that used this scheme.
>Thanks for the hole-poking -- it's helped me figure out how to structure
the
>things (and where to put them)!
>BTW, I want to apologize for my execrable typing lately -- my fiance's
>keyboard has keys that are slightly smaller than mine. His machine has the
>modem, so I have to use it (growling the whole time). I'm already over
>budget for my modem use this month (I guess it's time to raise the
budget!),
>so I've been trying to cut down on my logon time. I hope it hasn't
>interfered with what I've been trying to say.
>Bonni Graham
>Manual Labour
>President, SDSTC
>BonniG -at- aol -dot- com