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Subject:Re: Shipping a product with only the online help From:Trevor Holdsworth <t -dot- holdsworth -at- GILSON -dot- FR> Date:Wed, 21 Oct 1998 10:44:05 +0200
Hi John,
We recently produced a software with 'an absolute minimum' User's Guide that
was supposed to briefly explain installation and getting started with a few
basic steps. It was still over 20 pages of A5 size document! (But mostly
screencaptures).
As for no instructions whatsoever, my own opinion is that, if its a free
software (as in the PC magazine type CD's), the OK, its free, the user doesen't
expect much, but if he's paying for it, he (or she), at least wants to know how
to install the darn thing, we're not all 'technically competent'. The doc is
the user/product interface.
I'd seriously try and persuade your manager that the goal isn't "to see how
many complain", but more "to sell as many as possible" - through pricing,
marketing and ... reputation!
> Greetings!
>
> To my dismay, my project leader has decided to try sending out a product
> with only the online help. No installation guide, no user's guide. He says
> he'd like to see how much the customer's complain when they don't get any
> documentation.
>
> Have any of you had clients ship the products out with little or no
> documentation? How did the clients respond? Did they respond at all? Was it
> a PR nightmare to justify the lack of documentation?
>
> I search the archives and found some information on this, but it was dated
> for over two years ago. Any recent findings?
> --
> Be seeing you,
>
> Dave
> ---
> John David Hickey (jdavid -at- farabi -dot- com)
>http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Hills/7829/
>
> Lone Writer at Farabi Technology Corp. (Montreal, Quebec)
>
> They say the pen is mighter than the sword.
> But if you miss a deadline, you'd better bring the sword.
> --
> Do not confuse my opinons with my employer's.
> Each exists in blissful ignorance of the other.
> ---
>
> From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000==
