From kde-look Thu Apr 27 17:01:31 2000 From: Thomas Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2000 17:01:31 +0000 To: kde-look Subject: Re: QWhatsThis in KCModules and more X-MARC-Message: https://marc.info/?l=kde-look&m=95685505328608 > > thinking about what to put into the help-texts and what not. Especially I'd > > like to know if it's okay with people if we rely that much on the WhatsThis > > help instead of writing manuals. > > Both have their place, but I don't think WhatsThis help can be considered > a replacement for a manual. A manual has the advanage of linear ordering, > so that if you have a decent manual you should be able to start at page > one, and by the end have a reasonable understanding of the whole piece > of software. You cannot provide this through what's this help. Right, there are people who won't touch a new program without reading the manual first and there are people who think things will work out if they just try (and with good design 99% of the things do) For this last group the WhatIs is designed I personally consider me to belong to the group who won't read a manual at all, unless I really have to. If there is an option which has a name I don't understand I will grab a manual, if I just can't find a way to do things I grab a manual. So, to put it into perspective; you will never get away with NOT providing a manual, you can just make the group a lot smaller with all the inline help you provide. And because most of us don't have time to write manuals I believe this is a very good thing! -- Thomas Zander zander@earthling.net History repeats itself, it has to nobody ever listens. gpg-key: 0588D5