Re: Updating Hard Copies of Existing Manuals

Subject: Re: Updating Hard Copies of Existing Manuals
From: Jim McAward <jimmc -at- CHYRON -dot- COM>
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 1997 16:48:03 -0400

Hello, Kelly...

I am faced with the page-replacement problem as well - my solution is one
that is somewhat more costly, but eminently workable.

The smallest unit I will replace in an update is a chapter; plus I always
replace the front matter (TOC, list of figures, list of tables) in its
entirety. Each chapter carries (as a page footer) its revision level, and
the TOC lists the "current revision" of each chapter.

BTW, my chapters are section-numbered, so if I am adding new stuff, the
chapter can get porkier without blowing the pagination elsewhere in the book.

I also revise all the manuals (and catch up with the revisions) at least
twice each year. I am not averse to "skipping" levels - let's say some of
the chapters were Revision C and others were Revision A; when I re-spin the
whole manual, everything goes to Revision D. This might violate the rules
of some deity up in in Tech Pubs Valhalla... but it works for me.

And - for all manuals, I maintain a set of release notes - for the last
minute changes that engineers just love to make. I used to whine; now I
realize that without last-minute changes they wouldn't be engineers, and
we'd all have to do without the Wonders of Science, such as electric light
and cheap peanut butter. So, I just accept the fact that there will be late
changes - and make a home for them.

Good luck!

Jim.


A few days ago, Kelly wrote:

>My company is implementing a new program in which we send our customers
>pages of information for each software release. The customer can then
>insert these pages into their existing documentation set (three-ring
>binder format). These pages will either replace existing pages, or will
>take the form of additional pages to be inserted into the middle of
>documents.
<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>
James G. McAward Chyron Corporation
Manager, Melville, NY 11747
Technical Publications http://www.chyron.com
<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>
"So many facts, so little time!"
<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>

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