 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Missing Manuals Major Keary majkeary@netspace.com.au |
 |
Vendors, both hardware and software, are moving more an more to online
documentation. The motive is not to help users-it is a cost-cutting measure. For applications that are sold
by download there is an argument for online manuals, but the fact remains that almost every software vendor
sells increasingly sophisticated software without a printed manual.
David Pogue, well known for his books and columns in Macworld, has teamed up with O'Reilly to publish
The Missing Manual Series. He says the idea came from "a guy on a trade-show bus ... [who was furious
that vendors] ... expect you to learn complex software using online help screens. You can't underline it,
bookmark it, or read it in the bathroom. You couldn't follow the steps even if you wanted to, because its own
window covers up the software you're trying to use. And worst of all, online help is usually terribly
written".
So David Pogue decided to do something about it. His objective is to present manuals that are "clear, crisp,
jargon-free, and often witty, with enough patience for the novice and enough depth for the power user". The
first off the press is Mac OS 9: The Missing Manual. You may not be interested in documentation for
the Mac, but watch out for the Windows 2000 and Windows ME titles expected to be released in the next couple
of months.
Having examined the Mac OS 9 title, I can assure readers that it is an example of what a user manual
should be: no waffle, easy-to-find information, clear language, and no padding. The price is also attractive,
$39.95 (which is likely to apply to other titles in the series).
O'Reilly books use special lay-flat binding that enables readers to open them at a chosen page and to know
the book will stay there. So many books have a mind of their own and nothing, short of a broken back, will
convince them otherwise. Next time you are in a book shop look for Mac OS 9: The Missing Manual and
see the quality for yourself.
Reprinted from the June 2000 issue of PC Update, the
magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
