by My company publishes software development tools for UNIX, VMS, and MSDOS.
We chose to offer the documentation in 8.5x11 format because:
(1) A Usenet poll 2 years ago on comp.sys.ibm.pc,
comp.unix, and comp.os.vms resulted in responses 2:1 in
favor of 8.5x11.
(2) It is much, much cheaper to produce user manuals
in 8.5x11 size (in the U.S.).
I want to re-poll the issue and collect the responses via e-mail.
I am not convinced that software publishers are generally concerned about
user's needs and am afraid that most have chosen the PC-size documentation
because of "compatibility" hype.
If you have an opinion, please tell me what you prefer, and I will
summarize in a future posting approx. thirty days from now.
I will also write letters to various trade journals with the results.
The choices are (paper sizes):
______ 8.5x11
______ PC (approx. 5.75x8.5)
______ A3 (Metric)
______ A4 (Metric)
______ Other, please specify ___________
Platforms used at your site:
______ Unix
______ MSDOS
______ VMS
______ Other, please specify ________________________
Region:
______ U.S.
______ Europe
______ Orient
______ Aus/NZ
______ Other, please specify ________________________
Thanks for your help.
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* Todd Merriman - Software Toolz, Inc. * Maintainer of the *
* 8030 Pooles Mill Dr., Ball Ground, GA 30107-9610 * Software *
* V-mail (800) 869-3878, (404) 889-8264 * mailing list *
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