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Subject:PDF documentation and client delivery From:Becky Roberts <jbroberts -at- KNOLOGY -dot- NET> Date:Mon, 13 Jul 1998 22:23:56 -0400
Hey Folks,
I hope some of you have experienced similar situations before and can
offer suggestions. Our doc group has pushed the benefits of electronic
documentation, particularly in terms of cost savings. A couple of our
trainers are in Mexico City this week. Rather than taking paper manuals
for the training classes, we put all of the files on a CD-ROM in PDF and
sent the CD-ROM to the client so that they could print out their own
training materials. We loaded Acrobat Reader 3.0 on the CD-ROM (Spanish
interface) and a Spanish readme file that explained how to use the
CD-ROM. We probably should have made the CD-ROM self-executing but were
running into a tight deadline (trainers didn't get their files to us
until the last minute) and didn't have time to set up the programming
for the executable file.
Anyway, you have probably guessed the problem. The CD-ROM got there on
time, we followed up with the client who assured us that they had no
problems with the CD-ROM, but when the trainers got there today for
class, the client claimed they couldn't open the files and didn't have
the materials printed out. We tested the CD-ROM before sending it, so I
know it worked when it left our office.
I'm not sure what the problem is at this point, but it sure is
frustrating trying to troubleshoot from hundreds of miles away and in a
different language. My questions for the list:
1. If you deliver Acrobat files to clients, how do you ensure that the
client has the reader loaded so that they can open the files?
2. Please assure me that there are other folks out there who do this
kind of delivery. Management is now looking at me and questioning why I
think PDF is such a good idea.
3. As delivery systems become more complex (whether CD-ROM or internet
or whatever), who provides technical support for the documentation
products? I think this is an Operations issue and should be handled by
the systems folks who handle other connection issues (our company is
mainframe). The systems folks don't seem to agree and don't want to
learn about PDF and file servers.
Thanks for your thoughts,
Becky Roberts
Tech Pubs Manager
TSYS - Columbus, GA
