Re: HTML Programming vs. PDF

[Scott Gray <scotty -at- CM -dot- MATH -dot- UIUC -dot- EDU>]

> I see that as a drawback, actually. Explorer doesn't read JavaScript, but
> JScript. But Netscape doesn't honor JScript...Java applets require
> download...

Actually if if stay away from JavaScript 1.2 then both Netscape and MSIE
work with JavaScript.

too many options, too many opportunities for the unknown to
> intrude. It's fine if it's a website that you're experimenting with, but
> users on real systems have jobs to do and don't appreciate having files
> that don't read or perform properly. At least PDF is fairly bullet-proof,
> and WinHelp is just about invulnerable. Flexibility often brings risk with
> it. I'm never comfortable with risk when I deliver something for the
> client's customer base, something that can reflect well or badly on my
> client.
>

Oh yes, Im sure they would they would rather go about reading page
after page of written documentation rather than having a dredfully
rich and interactive lesson where they actually LEARN something.


> Further, creating system support HTML with lots of scripts and applets
> isn't my idea of efficient production, especially if you're creating both
> print and online. Too much skill needed and too much testing required to
> get it all right. It takes time, and most clients aren't in the mood to
> write bigger checks at the back end of big, expensive projects.
>

We all know that efficiency of production is much more important than
the users efficency in understanding and learning don't we?

Scott



>
> Tim Altom
> Vice President, Simply Written, Inc.
> 317.899.5882 (voice) 317.899.5987 (fax)
> www.simplywritten.com
> Creators of the Clustar Method (TM)
> An out-of-the-box methodology for fast task-based documentation
> that's easy to port to paper, WinHelp, Acrobat, SGML, and other media.
>
>
>