RE: Online Manual Format

[Dan Emory <danemory@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

For anyone who's interested, I have a MIME-encoded 3-page Acrobat 3.0 PDF
file that demonstrates the huge advantage of a two-column landscaped page
layout over a single-column portrait layout for on-line PDF format. Both
versions were distilled at 100% of full size.

To make the 8-1/2 x 11 portrait page layout using the Times font marginally
readable at an Acrobat zoom setting of 110% on a 15-inch monitor, the font
size for body text had to be set to 14.5 pt in the original FrameMaker file.
At the 110% zoom setting required for marginal readability, only about 75%
of the portrait page can be viewed without having to scroll. By contrast,
the entire page of the 11 x 7.5 landscaped on-line version can be viewed at
the 110% zoom setting, yet it has superior readability, even though the body
test size was reduced to 12 pt, using the Helvetica font in the original
FrameMaker file. Moreover, approximately 20% more text per page is possible
using the landscaped page layout.

In my opinion, the portrait page layout on the first two pages of the PDF
file is an example of poorly designed shovelware.
>======================================================================  
>dgaskill@ES.com wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I'm not sure this is exactly on topic, as it's not a technical question
>> about Frame.  However, I'm using Frame to do this, so here goes.
>>
>> I'm doing some design work - make that RE design - to convert a manual that
>> was primarily designed for print to one that is primarily designed for on
>> line (PDF format).  The manual is already on line in PDF, and I've had no
>> complaints about it, but I'm thinking about redesigning the page layout to
>> make it more usable on the screen.  I'm considering using landscape rather
>> than portrait so that it fits the screen better.
>>
>> If you have experience in this area and have some ideas you'ld like to
>> share, or even a FrameMaker template, I'd sure appreciate it.
>>
>
     ====================
     | Nullius in Verba |
     ====================
Dan Emory, Dan Emory & Associates
FrameMaker/FrameMaker+SGML Document Design & Database Publishing
Voice/Fax: 949-722-8971 E-Mail: danemory@primenet.com
10044 Adams Ave. #208, Huntington Beach, CA 92646
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