On Thu, Jan 13, 2005 at 03:34:24AM +0100, Uwe StÃhr wrote: > >...because manuals should be as dry as dust, and so boring that nobody > >looks at them? > > Yes of course ;-) I mean commands like "If you use Export->PostScript > you can start drinking a coffee" (translated from the german docs). If > users don't laugh about it, it scares them off.
Running latex on a book takes time. There's no need trying to hide that fact in the docs. Fortunately, this is something people don't have to do all the time, so you can calm them down with that, if you worry. And of course they won't wait long for a postscript conversion on a two-page text... > Nobody read a UserGuide from the beginning to the end. Maybe I'm special then. When I get something, I try reading the manuals _first_. Of course I sort of give that up if they're bad, but the lyx manual was fine. Well written and showing all the stuff one can do. I tried out various interesting things with test documents. Of course a manual for a editing tool is somewhat special, in that you actually read the manual with the tool itself. Still, it was a nice experience. Don't underestimate peopleï's curiosity, the lyx manual isnï't boring for someone interested in editing, typesetting, poptions and tricks. > Except of the > tutorial, docs are used as reference book. > Helge Hafting
