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: hard copy doc to go w/ PDF From:Steve Pendleton <SPendlet -at- COGNEX -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 20 Aug 1998 16:55:42 -0700
>do you accompany the CD with some hard copy documentation?
If the shoe fits. Installation instructions, especially for hardware,
are generally best on paper and can be useless online.
For companies with large manual sets, there's a tendency to keep
one flagship book in print, with judiciously selected content.
FrameMaker, for instance, gives you a printed user manual
but relegates the MIF reference to online-only. There's
no rule that says that shipping hypertext obligates you to kill
all paper--it's a question of cost and suitability to purpose.
>or, do you provide a ReadMe on the CD?
Do both. Along with a paper readme and install, also provide a
reference copy on the CD. Give them an archival copy of
everything, even if you print it.
>--If you provide hard copy, what do you include besides instructions on
> downloading the reader?
>
Why force them to download the reader? Adobe lets you slap their
setup program on the CD along with your own software.
>do you provide the hard copy doc in jewel size so it can go into the CD
>case, or do you format the doc in a different format?
For a few last-minute pages, just laserprint, photocopy, and staple.
>having programmers as the audience, how much do you take for
>granted that they know (as far as the technology)?
Assume that PDF is an unfamiliar format and that they don't
know Acrobat Reader. PDF is NOT the mainstream for hypertext.
Some users resent being forced to learn yet another browser.
>do you give them basic instructions on how to navigate through the PDF?
Yep. And my FrameMaker master pages all have a 'Using this Book'
jump in the headers, just to rub their noses in it.
Steve Pendleton
Technical Writer DeLuxe
Cognex, Acumen Products
"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."
