From p-hurley1@tamu.edu Wed May 12 14:30:51 1993 From: p-hurley1@tamu.edu (Philip Hurley) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Documentation Date: 11 May 1993 14:05:20 GMT Organization: Computer Technology Group, TAEX NNTP-Posting-Host: p-hurley.tamu.edu Some may find this amusing. DOCUMENTATION MADE EASY (or HOW TO DOCUMENT AN APPLICATION WITHOUT REALLY TRYING) by Philip Hurley Chapter 1 OVERVIEW: This chapter contains useless information which you already know because you bought the product. It details how this product is better than everyone else's. Chapter 2 INTRODUCTION: This chapter gives you just enough information to get you in trouble. The commands are explained with such brevity that it is impossible to execute them successfully much less understand them. Chapter 3 UTILITIES: This is the chapter which probably should have been an introduction. Complexity is such that if you dig very deep and add what little you gleaned from the first two chapters, you may begin to understand how to exit the application. Just enough information was scattered in the first two chapters to make it impossible to skip them and start with this one. Chapter 4 EXTENDED FEATURES: Now we're getting somewhere. This is the most useful and therefore longest chapter in the whole book. It contains everything you really need to know with the exception of the details on how to exit/quit/abort which was in the first three chapters. APPENDICES (or THE REAL MANUAL) Appendix A ERROR MESSAGES: Deciphered form of the encrypted messages you see on the screen. This does not however imply that these explainations are any more understandable than the encrypted messages you see on the screen. Appendix B TECHNICAL NOTES: Always precede this chapter with the following note: (NOTE: THIS INFORMATION ONLY INTENDED FOR A PROGRAMMER, I.E., HACKER. IF YOU READ THIS MATERIAL YOU WILL BE BORED TO TEARS AND MAY EVEN SCREW UP THE APPLICATION. WE WILL BE UNABLE TO HELP YOU IF YOU DO THIS.) Appendix C SUGGESTIONS AND TIPS: This is filled with all the useful commands and hints which you already know by having dug them out of chapters 1-4. When the writers of this documentation tried to use this manual, they put what they learned in this appendix. Appendix D DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THIS VERSION AND THE LAST VERSION: Boring, nitpicky changes which you already know about--that's why you're using this version and not the old one. Appendix E USING THIS APPLICATION WITH OTHER WELL KNOWN APPLICATIONS: Impossible claims of compatibility with highly sophisticated and very popular expensive word processors, spreadsheets, databases, etc. This chapter also contains disclaimers about this application and that application running on your particular computer. Appendix F INSTALLATION: What you should have read from the very beginning. Appendix G GLOSSARY: The reason we bought an expensive, well-known third party product for word processing which generates this nifty, keen glossary. Philip Hurley "It is absurd to say that you are T.A.E.X. especially advancing freedom when you only Computer Technology use free thought to destroy free will." (409) 845-9689 -- Chesterton p-hurley1@tamu.edu I, too, disclaim.