writing online help

[Lev Abramov]

Folks, I'm a new kid on the block, so if I am asking something so obvious
it's not worth a mouse-click, please don't flame me. I am also quite new to
the technical writing as a profession. If this has been discussed before -
my apologies for bringing it up again.

OK, the disclaimer being over and done with, here's the query.

We make commsat-related equipment (satellite telephony, to be precise), so
what needs to be documented is either pure software, or some combination of
software and hardware solution. The network management system is a software
program, of course, running on a MS Windows server.

I've been writing manuals for a while; now I may also be trusted to create
an online help file, which seems like a totally different ball game. I have
no technical problem generating a help file in an authoring system - my
problem is the philosophy.

And no, single-sourcing is not a solution, because the paper-based manual
already exists, but does not seem suitable for conversion into online help -
it is largely system-based, not function-based. I will probably have to
rewrite it or create a totally new "how-to"document for online help.

What online sources are you familiar with that explain in more detail the
philosophy and the logistics of WRITING online help? Can you recommend a
tutorial with some examples?

What other suggestions can you make?

Any and all advice will be appreciated.

Cheers -

Lev