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:] What's with the new docs? From:John Gear <catalyst -at- PACIFIER -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 22 Jan 1996 16:47:00 PST
>I'm so exasperated..... what is happening with the documentation,
>both online and paper, with some of the new Windows 95 programs? Or
>perhaps I should rephrase that: what is NOT happening....?
Don't mourn, organize.
Have you *returned* any of the software to the vendor and said "To hell with
your license agreement, this documentation is inadequate, I want my money
back!"?
Buy your software on credit card--you are in a good position to withhold
payment for cause when you pay by card. Then, if you have bad documentation
and the vendor won't issue a credit right away you can write to the card
issuer and explain that you are in a dispute with the vendor and you are
withholding payment as a result.
If the documentation is part of the package then it's part of what you pay
for; if it's not satisfactory, refuse to accept it and most of all, refuse
to pay for it.
If technical communicators won't do it, no one will. And companies will
(continue to) get the message that documentation is not important to sales.
John Gear (catalyst -at- pacifier -dot- com)
The Bill of Rights -- The ORIGINAL Contract with America
Beware of Imitations. Accept No Substitutes. Insist on the Genuine Articles.