[Sigia-l] When Should a Manual be Web-based?

[Boniface Lau]

> From: sigia-l-admin at asis.org [mailto:sigia-l-admin at asis.org]On
> Behalf Of Pittas Marios
>  
> > Does anyone have any tips for deciding when a manual should be
> > web-based (vs. in a PDF or Word format)?
> 
> One obviously cannot answer the question without knowing more
> information about the specific manual and without
> asking/investigating how the users of the manual plan to use that
> manual..

Not true. What was being asked for, and offered, were tips - very
different from overall recommendations.


[...]
> On another note, I am very sceptical when we advice and present
> models of issues/behaviour to support our advice without
> clear/stated research

Even when the advice is common sense backed by logical reasoning?


[...]
> 
> ? Reading a manual in Word format often causes users to be uneasy
> ? because some keystrokes may actually alter the manual.
> 
> Says who? Where?

Yours truly said that here. ;-)


> 
> > Thus, users are often forced to do horizontal scrolling. It is
> > terrible.
> 
> p.s for downloadable/"to keep" documents/manuals I personally love
> pdf's and often create pdf files even of html pages because of their
> portability. I can give them to customers without having to worry of
> fonts, graphics, links etc etc.. PDF is not so terrible right?

I said that horizontal scrolling is terrible.

You then replied by suggesting that PDF is not that terrible. 

ISTM there was a misunderstanding.


Boniface