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RE: [HATT] Help As Part Of The Programming Language?



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeremy H. Griffith [mailto:jeremy@omsys.com]
 
<snip>
 
> The intent is to let Help authors get back to focussing on their
> content, not on the delivery system.  And to let the tool vendors
> focus on *their* added value in authoring, rather than re-inventing
> a viewer that should really come with the OS in the first place.
>
> It's a win-win for all concerned.

Except for Microsoft.

They're trying to save their tushes from being split into two, from
being required to create a lean OS, and from being prevented from
building things into the OS "in the name of innovation" when in reality
it's a business plan to wipe out (1) other browsers, (2) other media
players, (3) other virus-protection/security software, etc.

In the anti-trust case against Microsoft, Bill Gates and company
testified that they couldn't remove IE from the OS because it would
break online help. MS HTML-Help (HH) uses 80%+ of the IE code. They'll
remove the shortcut icons for IE, but they can't remove the code for IE.

So, faithful tech writers, isn't it ironic that online help -- our
bread-and-butter -- builds the foundation of Microsoft's legal defense? 

And here we are -- lowly underpaid, under-appreciated, under supported
and ignored in the tools of our tech writing trade (e.g., Word, HH,
WinHelp) -- and we're talking about designing another solution that cuts
Microsoft out of the picture while removing some of their legal footing
(albeit a little late for this particular trial, but there are and will
be others.)

I gotta tell you, when I think of all of the Word crashes that I have
endured, I get really inspired by this project and its potential.

And although Microsoft will ultimately benefit from having someone else
take over the Help engine as well, it'll ruffle some of their feathers
beyond removing a legal defense. They want to be involved in every
electronic translation. If they had their way, you'd be paying a nickel
every time you fired up Word or your IE browser.

You can walk into any public library and read the words of mankind --
for free. You can purchase a book, read it, and then give it to someone
else to read -- for free.

I see this endeavor of an open-source OmniHelp as a way to publish words
and books electronically and have them freely available and not locked
in some proprietary pay-per scheme. OmniHelp has the most long-term
potential to keep the words of mankind available for future generations
(even though it may start with our deathly dull technical manuals.) Why?
Because it's open-source.

Glenn Maxey
Technical Writer
Voyant Technologies, Inc.
1765 West 121st Avenue
Westminster, CO 80234-2301
Tel. +1 303.223.5164
Fax. +1 303.223.5275
glenn.maxey@voyanttech.com

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