TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Shipping Books versus Ordering Books by Mail From:Marguerite Krupp <mkrupp -at- WORLD -dot- STD -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 23 Feb 1995 09:00:28 +0001
For goodness sake, ship at least a booklet or card with the basic
instructions for setting up an using the printer. Mega-frustration will
result otherwise!
Doc-To-Help gave me lots of books with the product, but I had to send in
a card for the user's guide. Pain in the butt, since that was the one
book I really needed. I had to wait two precious weeks of my project time
before I could get at the stuff I really needed, not just play around
with the tutorials and help
I agree that nobody needs 1000 printer manuals. Some suggestions:
~ Give the customers an email address and an 800 number they can call to
order manuals. Most would prefer that to snail mail.
~ Price the manuals separately and let them order what they want.
~ Make the manuals available on CD-ROM. Granted they can't print them
until they get the printer up (chicken-and-egg), unless they have
another printer around, but if your customers have the readers, they'll
be used to getting documentation that way...and it's searchable.
