[Gllug] Controversial Joel Spolsky article

Huw Lynes huw-l at moving-picture.com
Tue Dec 16 17:06:51 UTC 2003


On Tue, 16 Dec 2003 14:54:11 +0000
Bernard Peek <bap at shrdlu.com> wrote:

> I particularly liked Joel's comments about manuals. Good software 
> doesn't need a manual, or on-line help. As a technical author I like to 
> see a well-written and comprehensive manual. As a developer I like to 
> see a good healthy layer of dust on top of the user manuals.
> 
Simple software that relies on metaphors that everyone understands doesn't
require a manual. Think mail clients. Any software that does anything out of
the ordinary will require a very good manual. Think CAD packages.

But even then is aunt marge really going to be able to sort out the server
settings in her copy of outlook without some documentation? 

-- 
| Huw Lynes               | The Moving Picture Company  |
| System Administrator    | 127 Wardour Street          |
|.........................| London, W1F 0NL             | 


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