Rick Barnes wrote:
My take on many of our chapters is they are too simple, and leave much
for the user to research on their own. I have found way too many
mistakes and 'incomplete' (or oversimplified) topics in the online
help...about which I always files issues. I think a little more depth is
always a good idea...unless we are writing 'quick start' guides.
I agree that many chapters (in our other guides as well, not just
the Calc Guide) are too simple. To provide real value, our guides
do need to go beyond the basics. They also need to give guidance
on when and why someone might do something, or what the
consequences of various choices are, not just how to do things.
In many cases, that info is there; in others, it's not. And I'm
as bad as anyone (and worse than many) about not putting enough
of that sort of thing in when I'm doing the writing.
But as we all know, it's not easy in a book to provide enough
info for those who need to go beyond the basics, without that
info getting in the way of those who do need only the basics.
It's easier in online help, because you can hyperlink between a
basic, simplified topic and a more detailed one.
Two possibilities that come immediately to mind for our books are:
1) On some topics, have two chapters: an introductory (or
tutorial or quickstart) one and an advanced one. For example,
"Intro to Styles" and "Working with Styles" in the Writer Guide.
2) In some chapters, have an introductory (or tutorial or quick
start) section and an advanced section. For example, we've tried
to do that in the chapter on Tocs, Indexes, and Bibliographies in
the Writer Guide, knowing that most people will just create a ToC
using OOo's defaults, but if they want to do something a bit
different then they need as much info as we can give them.
Of course, some chapters may need only the "advanced" discussion,
due to the topics covered.
Gary and others may have other suggestions.
--Jean
