Re: Chapter-page numbering, reasons for

[Robert Lauriston <robert -at- lauriston -dot- com>]

Chapter and section numbers change as new chapters and sections are
added, so there's potential confusion there.

When I need to cite a particular topic in a context where there are no
hyperlinks (e.g. a reference in readme.txt to a topic that discusses a
new feature), I use breadcrumbs, e.g. "For more information, see Using
Widgetworks > Creating a New Widgetworks Fubar > Creating a Fubar from
a Template in the User Guide or online help."

If I'm talking to someone on the phone, I find out whether they're
looking at the PDF or the online help, and then tell them the fastest
way to find the topic.

On Thu, Dec 3, 2009 at 9:18 AM, Fred Ridder <docudoc -at- hotmail -dot- com> wrote:
> As someone who has worked in positions where I had to provide tech support
> to customers (sometimes resellers, sometimes end users), I have to disagree
> with Robert and Leonard. It is pointless to refer someone to the
> documentation (i.e. tell them to RTFM) without being able to point them to a
> specific topic that addresses their issue. And unless you have some process
> in place to ensure that *every* topic has a unique title, the chapter and
> section numbers that you say have no purpose are in fact extremely
> useful. You really handicap your support people (assuming that anybody still
> has people who provide tech support...) if you don't provide some unique way
> of identifying every topic in the documentation.
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