on 8/20/01 8:36 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] at
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> This issue of online-vs.-printed docs also raises a more philophical
> question for all of us as designers of multimedia:
>
> What criteria determine when a body of work is optimal
> as printed matter or as hypermedia?
As one involved daily in print production, and who really loves the
Supercard scripting guide as a printed volume, I'll throw in two cents
here.. Now, I am not totally up on the current state of the docs and maybe
most of this functionality is already there, so please excuse me if it is..
Idea in a printed volume is that you can pick it up and read it,and you have
a complete table of Contents and index with cross references. That's all
there is to it.
So just implement that model, completely.
-- Complete table of contents
-- ALL and we mean ALL words in the language, every single one of them,
defined with sample scripts, and more than one line, but enough lines of
script to sketch "context" and, not only the words of the scripting language
but all words used by the application interface as well, menu items, stack
names, library names, extension namesceven "dumb stuff" like "annual
subscription renewal" "technical support" "Licensing" etc. and not only
command language words and interface labels, but words used in the
"discussion" of the scripting process e.g. "multi-dimensional array"
"database" ...everything... (probably way too much to ask...but you wanted a
wish list...)
How to get the list? Run a word list on the archives of the REV and MC list
forum on-line archives add this to your script language and interface labels
and you will get 98 percent of everything that should be in the docs.
-- alphabetical index, cross-referenced
-- ability to "mark place" as some of us like to actually take the time and
read the thing from beginning to end... i.e. we want to know what's in our
tool box ahead of time. But, I don't want to have to read it in one sitting.
So, you need a book mark.
-- ability to print, obviously, and to chose page ranges/sections. And since
we can do a lot more than you can with a book, ability ti print a word and
all it's cross referenced associations at one go..., then you get a "mini
pamphlet" of pages all around one scripting theme.
hope that helps a little.
Hinduism Today
Sivakatirswami
Editor's Assistant/Production Manager
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.HinduismToday.com, www.HimalayanAcademy.com,
www.Gurudeva.org, www.hindu.org
