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Documentation and Manuals
WINDOWS95 MANUALS
Computer technology has developed so much so that nothing can processed, made, etc., without a computer as its mainsource. Due to this expansion in computer technology, Microsoft Windows 95 has minimized the amount of documentation in written manuals. For the most part Windows 95 has not only provided the user with a User's Manual booklet, but has utilized on-line documentation as its main--help--source.
The Windows 95 manual gives a formal introduction to the user of Microsoft Windows 95, with a welcome page stating the purpose of Windows 95, the benefits to owning and working with the Windows 95 software, and briefly introduces the many subtopics within the manual's table of contents.
The manual helps the user to establish where to find the information that they need. For example, the manual briefly explains the HELP menu--help with different procedures. However, the manual fails to give a full, detailed explanation, in order for the user to make more use of the on-line documentation. The brief paragraph only informs the user how to move from contents to index to find. Despite the brief details on how each aspect of the Windows software actually works, the manual offers more detailed definitions in comparison to the on-line documentation. For example, on page 21 in the Beyond the Basics section of the manual, there is a table which not only describes what the certain terms means but also how they are represented on the Windows 95 screen.
Although the manual describes many areas in full detail than others, the manuals also omits much of the information refering the user to Go to the Help Contents of the software program. For example, the manual lists the topics covered in the Help Troubleshooters:
Although, the list identifies the various problems that the Help Menu covers, there is more step-by-step detail offered in the on-line documentation, just as with many other topics that are covered by the software.
WINDOWS 95 ON-LINE DOCUMENTATION
Microsoft Windows 95, has improved its service to the user by providing on-line services. This software starts from the basics, by providing the user with a Windows 95 On-line Tour. This Windows 95 Tour quickly teaches the user a few basic skills and presents demos, in which the user can practice these newly acquired skills. The user can start the Tour by double-clicking on "Ten minutes to Using Windows", in the Help contents.
Microsoft Windows 95 also provides the user with the oppurtunity to obtain Help online. On-line Help is essential to learning and using Windows. There are two kinds of Help available: Help about a specific procedure and Help that gives you the information about what the user can see on-screen. When the user opens Help by using the Start menu, or the Help menu in My Computer or Windows Explorer, the user can see Help for Windows in general. If the user makes use of the Help menu in programs, such as WordPad, Paint, or Microsoft Word, the Help that can be seen (by the user) is for that program.
Microsoft Windows 95, in addition the the on-line help and the User's Manual, has provided a unique tool which is known as "The Spot". As the arrow (of the mouse) strikes the blue spot, there is information on the different functions of the software program. For example, the spot will give a brief descriptions of the various functions, and small mini tours of the the various Accessories provided within the software. The tours enables the user to browse through these accessories with step-by-step help.
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