>A good example on how not write HTML based help files would be microsofts
VB
>6 help files. They are completely unusable.
Most Docs generated by MS are useless, with the exception of the MSDN
library. It's Windows specific but allows you to search (quite effectively)
all the HTML, Text and other formats rather quickly. If the Palm API doc
format is to be changed, a cross platform IDE similar to this would an
excellent option. The problem is, I believe it is not cross platform.
The PDF format is searchable, prints rather well and is cross platform (and
read only). IMHO, that makes the PDF format just a little better than HTML.
I still prefer the printed version but PDF comes in a close second.
-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Lutz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Monday, June 28, 1999 10:30 AM
Subject: RE: Petition: keep dos in PDF
A good example on how not write HTML based help files would be microsofts VB
6 help files. They are completely unusable.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Aaron Ardiri [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Monday, June 28, 1999 10:14 AM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: Petition: keep docs in PDF
>
> On Mon, 28 Jun 1999, Christian Vandendorpe wrote:
> > This subject comes back every once in a while. IMHO the best format
> > for online docs is PDF, I'm glad Palm saw the benefits of this and
> > went this way. I wish more companies realized that HTML is NOT a
> > good format for online documentation and would go the PDF road
> > instead. Navigating anything bigger than a few pages in HTML is
> > a nightmare. Always scrolling up and down, and then back up to
> > the index (unless they use frames which is even worse). And try
> > searching or printing in HTML, good luck.
>
> well.. maybe that is your opinion.. however - i am sure a lot
> of other people may not like what you suggest.. (especially myself)
>
> first of all, if i wanted to print the docs out - i would buy
> a book. 3com hurt themselves by having a PDF version.. they
> should make money from the docs - but now everyone can download
> and in two seconds.. get a book..
>
> they are scripts (in unix) - that will print a heirarchy of HTML
> files.. (you just need to find them)
>
> when i want to access the docs, i want ONE page - not the whole
> book.. so i dont mind seeing a small .HTML file.
>
> searching? if you are using linux / unix.. easy.. "grep".. finds
> everything you need..
>
> Java does their documentation perfectly.. whats wrong with 3com
> doing the same? i have a lot of problems with the PDF - it chews
> memory on my machine - it takes ages to load.. and what for? one
> page..
>
> multi format.. thats they key.. i suggested a utility like JavaDoc
> previously.. if the headers are documented enough - you can
> generate the HTML from the code..
>
> PDF, HTML are a definate.. at a minimum.. i prefer HTML over PDF.
> smaller, easier to use (IMHO) and faster to load.
>
> my 2c.
>
> az.
> --
> Aaron Ardiri
> Lecturer http://www.hig.se/~ardiri/
> University-College i G�vle mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> SE 801 76 G�vle SWEDEN
> Tel: +46 26 64 87 38 Fax: +46 26 64 87 88
> Mob: +46 70 352 8192 A/H: +46 26 10 16 11
>
