dickie@schaefer.math.wisc.edu (Garth Dickie) (12/17/90)
I posted last week with an idea for a documentation reading system. Apparently there is an Alladin Systems product called the On-Line Documentation Toolkit, which may be used to construct help systems for applications. Several people wanted something of this sort; this product may be worth looking at. I think what may come out of this is a modular document system, with a very simple kernel. This could be interfaced to through several front ends, for example a code resource for inclusion in applications, an editor, or a DA. The kernel would simply provide hooks to modules which would handle displaying or editing blocks of data. The basic system would then include only a text editor and PICT display module. The attraction here is that you can then insert help into an application, or build a self-reading document, including only the modules that it uses -- if you choose not to include any tables, for example, the table module would not be taking up space. Also, in creating a read-only help system or read-only self-reading document, some modules could throw out information and simply write a text or pict form of the data, removing the need to include that module. Several people mention the need for indexing / hypertext abilities. This could be one of the `core features' coded into the kernel. Bill Johnston thinks this is a waste of my time; If I were are 'real developer' I would have enough memory, disk, speed, etc, to just use Hypercard, word, and compile all at once ;-) I'm a student, though. Something may well come of this during the break :-) Roland: I couldn't get mail back to you, but did get yours. Any suggestions on how to get to you? Peter Lewis: I did get both messages, and replied to both; I would be glad to discus file format, etc in some depth if you can get my mail :-). I think there may be a problem with mail leaving my site, however :-( -- ------------------------------------------------------------- Please insert :-) where appropriate for prevention of flames. Garth A. Dickie dickie@macduffe.math.wisc.edu
Lawson.English@p88.f15.n300.z1.fidonet.org (Lawson English) (12/19/90)
Garth Dickie writes in a message to All
GD> Bill Johnston thinks this is a waste of my time; If I were are
GD> 'real developer' I would have enough memory, disk, speed, etc,
GD> to just use Hypercard, word, and compile all at once ;-) I'm
GD> a student, though.
Jasmine was offering 70 ns RAM at $39.95 a meg as an advertising gimick. Look
in this month's MacWorld.
Lawson
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Uucp: ...{gatech,ames,rutgers}!ncar!asuvax!stjhmc!300!15.88!Lawson.English
Internet: Lawson.English@p88.f15.n300.z1.fidonet.orgjohnston@oscar.ccm.udel.edu (12/21/90)
In article <32788.276F7FB5@stjhmc.fidonet.org>, Lawson.English@p88.f15.n300.z1.fidonet.org (Lawson English) writes... >Garth Dickie writes in a message to All > >GD> Bill Johnston thinks this is a waste of my time; If I were are >GD> 'real developer' I would have enough memory, disk, speed, etc, Hey now! Just who the hell is Bill Johnston and why is he telling student programmers what to do? Sorry to waste bandwidth on this, but I couldn't find Mr. Dickie's original posting which apparently paraphrases a suggestion I made via e-mail. My correspondence with Mr. Dickie did not carry the sense of hardware snobbery that the term <'real developer'> implies. I am NOT a 'real developer' and would never employ such a term in private e-mail or on the front page of the Times. My point to Mr. Dickie was that his creative efforts would be better spent if he spent a few bucks on a memory upgrade. It consistently amazes me that creative people put such a high value on their $$$ and a low value on their time when making hardware decisions. Good tools are well worth the investment! >Jasmine was offering 70 ns RAM at $39.95 a meg as an advertising gimick. Look >in this month's MacWorld. > And getting cheaper all the time. -- Bill Johnston (johnston@oscar.ccm.udel.edu)