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Subject:Re: Opinions on Embedded Help? From:Sella Rush <sellar -at- APPTECHSYS -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 11 Mar 1999 10:15:46 -0800
I just took a first look at the beta version of Office 2000 Word.
One possible application of "embedded help" is to designate a section of the
app window to display help all the time--preferably context specific help.
At first I thought Word 2000 was using embedded help, because it makes room
on the screen for a help pane. But actually it is simply opening the
HTMLHelp window and resizing accordingly. When you click on Help Topics (or
equivalent), the main Word window resizes to accommodate the second window
along the right side. Clearly the MS help developers also see a value in
keeping help available and in the user's face. Maybe we could call this "in
your face help".
(BTW--for those of us using RoboHelp with its Explore window taking up the
right side of the screen, things may get interesting when the Word pane
shrinks to two inches wide. Talk about a justification for a 30" monitor!
Or at least two 17" monitors--which I just can't get used to, the important
stuff always ends up in the crack.)
Sella Rush mailto:sellar -at- apptechsys -dot- com
Applied Technical Systems (ATS)
Bremerton, Washington
Developers of the CCM Database
