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Subject:Re: What exactly is minimalist documentation? From:"Tony G. Rocco" <trocco -at- NAVIS -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 27 Oct 1997 14:51:24 -0800
I was wondering if print documentation that somehow integrated both
minimalist and conventional formats would be useful. Like minimalist for
procedures and conventional for reference? The user could start with the
minimalist stuff and resort to the reference material when greater detail
was needed. Anyone ever see anything like this done?
Also, I'd like to actually see some bona fide minimalist documentation.
Does anyone have a file they can attach and send out? Or a commercial book
they know of that I could go look at?
- tgr
At 2:45 PM -0500 10/27/97, Megan McMacken wrote, among other things:
>
>--Minimalist writing doesn't repeat instructions that are found elsewhere in
>the documentation, as opposed to modular writing, which tries to tell the
>user in each module _everything_ they need to know to perform the task.
>
>--Minimalist writing uses an abundance of illustrations and pictures to
>convey information rather than using words. You'll see this in How-to
>manuals showing you how to set up your new PC, etc.
>
>--Minimalist documentation is "bare bones" documentation. Some users may
>find that it doesn't offer the detailed information they'd like, while
>others are happy to be given only the basic information.
>
