<grumpy old fart>So is this a case of the minimalism chickens coming home to roost?? After all, the mantra in certain segments of the tech writing community has been "just give 'em procedures... tell them how to do the most common tasks". I've been rebelling against this mindset all along, saying that good documentation needs both procedural AND reference topics.</grumpy old fart>
Mike -- Mike Starr WriteStarr Information Services Technical Writer - Online Help Developer - Website developer Graphic Designer - Desktop Publisher - MS Office Expert Phone: (262) 694-1028 - Tollfree: (877) 892-1028 - Fax:(262) 697-6334 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Web: http://www.writestarr.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dana Worley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, December 01, 2006 2:08 PM Subject: Re: [TCP] Painful > On Friday, December 01, 2006, technical writing plus wrote: > <snip> > I've also had to quell the urge to write a new manual for a Canon > Powershot I bought a few weeks ago. It is *horrible*. Every feature > is similar to "AF -- This is the automatic focus. Turn it Off or On." > But there's no info that tells you *why* you want to turn AF off/on, or > use ISO Hi instead of ISO auto or ISO XXX, or how to pick colors > for that artsy colorswap mode... It is in need of a very good user's > manual that gives you a little theory behind the "duh" info in the > existing manual. > > I think this is a sickness. I wonder if it can be controlled with meds... > > :) Dana ______________________________________________ Are you a Help Authoring Trainer or Consultant? Let clients find you at www.HAT.Matrix.com, the searchable HAT database based on Char James-Tanny's HAT Comparison Matrix. Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] for details. Interested in Interactive 3D Documentation? Get the scoop at http://www.doc-u-motion.com -- your 3D documentation community. _______________________________________________ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
