Re: [Framers] Question About Revision History.
We do have a unique version number, of course, so that we ourselves and the technical support team can keep track, but the actual history of changes to the documentation goes in the release notes. We do not want that in the documentation itself. -j On 2019-11-26 17:19, Richard Melanson wrote: Somewhat off topic, what does everyone think about not having a revision history in user manuals. My company has decided they do not want this in any customer facing docs. Thank you for your replies. Rick Richard Melanson Technical Writer|HighRes Biosolutions -- Johan Anglemark, Technical Communicator & Localization Manager. IAR Systems AB Box 23051, Strandbodgatan 1 SE-750 23 Uppsala, SWEDEN Mobile: +46 708 651088, Phone: +46 18 167894, Fax: +46 18 167838 E-mail: johan.anglem...@iar.com Website: www.iar.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/iarsystems ___ This message is from the Framers mailing list Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com Archives located at http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ Subscribe and unsubscribe at http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com
Re: [Framers] Question About Revision History.
I think there may be different ideas about what a revision history can be. From my background in aerospace technical publications we always had a 'Record of Revisions' page in the frontmatter of all tech docs. In the days of paper loose-leaf documents this was where the person who incorporated the revised pages would sign to say that the document had been correctly updated. The other way to look at it is to include a unique version or revision number somewhere obvious in the document. I would consider that to be mandatory in all tech docs, but it need not refer to any of the previous revisions. It just has to be in a logical format so that it's really easy to check if you have the current version, but also that it's the correct version for the equipment/system in use. Ian -Original Message- From: Framers On Behalf Of Richard Melanson Sent: 26 November 2019 16:20 To: An email list for people using Adobe FrameMaker software. Subject: [Framers] Question About Revision History. Somewhat off topic, what does everyone think about not having a revision history in user manuals. My company has decided they do not want this in any customer facing docs. Thank you for your replies. Rick Richard Melanson Technical Writer|HighRes Biosolutions T:781.932.1912x1160|rmelan...@highresbio.com www.highresbio.com This e-mail message may contain confidential information and may not be used by anyone but the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use or dissemination of this message is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify HighRes Biosolutions immediately by reply email. Then delete this message from your system. Thank you. ___ This message is from the Framers mailing list Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com Archives located at http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ Subscribe and unsubscribe at http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com ___ This message is from the Framers mailing list Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com Archives located at http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ Subscribe and unsubscribe at http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com
Re: [Framers] Question About Revision History.
That's what we do at my current employer and the employer before. The last 2 digits of the part number identify the version of the document. Each time the document is released, the number gets incremented. On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 4:17 PM techwordsmith wrote: > Build it into the part number?Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy > smartphone > Original message From: Richard Melanson < > rmelan...@highresbio.com> Date: 11/26/19 11:19 AM (GMT-05:00) To: "An > email list for people using Adobe FrameMaker software." < > framers@lists.frameusers.com> Subject: [Framers] Question About Revision > History. Somewhat off topic, what does everyone think about not having a > revision history in user manuals. My company has decided they do not want > this in any customer facing docs. Thank you for your replies. RickRichard > MelansonTechnical Writer|HighRes BiosolutionsT:781.932.1912x1160| > rmelan...@highresbio.comwww.highresbio.com This e-mail message may > contain confidential information and may not be used by anyone but the > intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby > notified that any use or dissemination of this message is strictly > prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify HighRes > Biosolutions immediately by reply email. Then delete this message from > your system. Thank you.___This > message is from the Framers mailing listSend messages to > framers@lists.frameusers.comVisit the list's homepage at > http://www.frameusers.comArchives located at > http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/Subscribe and > unsubscribe at > http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.comSend > administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com > ___ > > This message is from the Framers mailing list > > Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com > Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com > Archives located at > http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ > Subscribe and unsubscribe at > http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com > Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com -- Lin Sims ___ This message is from the Framers mailing list Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com Archives located at http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ Subscribe and unsubscribe at http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com
Re: [Framers] Question About Revision History.
With documentation for a product that has a shelf life of 10-20 years, it's a good idea to notify the customer of a revision because old versions of PDFs always surface when you least expect it, and to no good end. On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 12:23 PM Lin Sims wrote: > One of my former employers used it as a way to let readers know how > information had changed because the document was very long and very > technical (installing enterprise-level software). I'm not sure how much it > helped overall, but at least if, say, what was required of the customer to > have for hardware or already-installed software had changed, they had an > alert to pay extra attention to that. Or if how outside-party software had > to be configured to work with our software changed, they'd have an alert on > that, too. > > We used change bars in the text itself, but that didn't tell customers HOW > things had changed, only that they had. The revision history told them how, > which told them what to pay attention to. > > On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 11:50 AM wrote: > > > Rick, > > Revision history is often more of a regulatory requirement than a > > nice-to-have feature. If there are no external rules that say you must > have > > it, then what purpose would it serve? Maybe just to show that the > document > > does get updated from time-to-time? > > > > Ian Proudfoot > > > > > > > > > > -Original Message- > > From: Framers > itp-x.co...@lists.frameusers.com> On Behalf Of Richard Melanson > > Sent: 26 November 2019 16:20 > > To: An email list for people using Adobe FrameMaker software. < > > framers@lists.frameusers.com> > > Subject: [Framers] Question About Revision History. > > > > Somewhat off topic, what does everyone think about not having a revision > > history in user manuals. My company has decided they do not want this in > > any customer facing docs. > > > > Thank you for your replies. > > > > Rick > > > > Richard Melanson > > Technical Writer|HighRes Biosolutions > > T:781.932.1912x1160|rmelan...@highresbio.com > > www.highresbio.com > > > > This e-mail message may contain confidential information and may not be > > used by anyone but the intended recipient. If you are not the intended > > recipient, you are hereby notified that any use or dissemination of this > > message is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, > > please notify HighRes Biosolutions immediately by reply email. Then > delete > > this message from your system. Thank you. > > ___ > > > > This message is from the Framers mailing list > > > > Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com Visit the list's homepage > > at http://www.frameusers.com Archives located at > > http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ > > Subscribe and unsubscribe at > > http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com > > Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com > > > > ___ > > > > This message is from the Framers mailing list > > > > Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com > > Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com > > Archives located at > > http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ > > Subscribe and unsubscribe at > > http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com > > Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com > > > > > -- > Lin Sims > ___ > > This message is from the Framers mailing list > > Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com > Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com > Archives located at > http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ > Subscribe and unsubscribe at > http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com > Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com > ___ This message is from the Framers mailing list Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com Archives located at http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ Subscribe and unsubscribe at http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com
Re: [Framers] Question About Revision History.
I would have to take a different approach. I always include a build number/part number as part of my front matter for my User Guides, and it has helped tremendously in several key situations for some of my clients. Recently, a client related to me that one of their clients called to complain that the software wasn't working as described/did not have the functionality described properly and the first thing tech support did was ask them what version number of the guide that they were using. Turns out they were using the wrong version of the guide and after tech support directed to them the right version, all was OK. If the guides had just the same title, but no other identifying information, this would have been solved much less quickly. Just my two cents worth. TVB -Original Message- From: Framers On Behalf Of Richard Melanson Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2019 9:20 AM To: An email list for people using Adobe FrameMaker software. Subject: [Framers] Question About Revision History. Somewhat off topic, what does everyone think about not having a revision history in user manuals. My company has decided they do not want this in any customer facing docs. Thank you for your replies. Rick Richard Melanson Technical Writer|HighRes Biosolutions T:781.932.1912x1160|rmelan...@highresbio.com www.highresbio.com This e-mail message may contain confidential information and may not be used by anyone but the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use or dissemination of this message is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify HighRes Biosolutions immediately by reply email. Then delete this message from your system. Thank you. ___ This message is from the Framers mailing list Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com Archives located at http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ Subscribe and unsubscribe at http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com ___ This message is from the Framers mailing list Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com Archives located at http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ Subscribe and unsubscribe at http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com
Re: [Framers] Question About Revision History.
One of my former employers used it as a way to let readers know how information had changed because the document was very long and very technical (installing enterprise-level software). I'm not sure how much it helped overall, but at least if, say, what was required of the customer to have for hardware or already-installed software had changed, they had an alert to pay extra attention to that. Or if how outside-party software had to be configured to work with our software changed, they'd have an alert on that, too. We used change bars in the text itself, but that didn't tell customers HOW things had changed, only that they had. The revision history told them how, which told them what to pay attention to. On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 11:50 AM wrote: > Rick, > Revision history is often more of a regulatory requirement than a > nice-to-have feature. If there are no external rules that say you must have > it, then what purpose would it serve? Maybe just to show that the document > does get updated from time-to-time? > > Ian Proudfoot > > > > > -Original Message- > From: Framers itp-x.co...@lists.frameusers.com> On Behalf Of Richard Melanson > Sent: 26 November 2019 16:20 > To: An email list for people using Adobe FrameMaker software. < > framers@lists.frameusers.com> > Subject: [Framers] Question About Revision History. > > Somewhat off topic, what does everyone think about not having a revision > history in user manuals. My company has decided they do not want this in > any customer facing docs. > > Thank you for your replies. > > Rick > > Richard Melanson > Technical Writer|HighRes Biosolutions > T:781.932.1912x1160|rmelan...@highresbio.com > www.highresbio.com > > This e-mail message may contain confidential information and may not be > used by anyone but the intended recipient. If you are not the intended > recipient, you are hereby notified that any use or dissemination of this > message is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, > please notify HighRes Biosolutions immediately by reply email. Then delete > this message from your system. Thank you. > ___ > > This message is from the Framers mailing list > > Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com Visit the list's homepage > at http://www.frameusers.com Archives located at > http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ > Subscribe and unsubscribe at > http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com > Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com > > ___ > > This message is from the Framers mailing list > > Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com > Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com > Archives located at > http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ > Subscribe and unsubscribe at > http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com > Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com > -- Lin Sims ___ This message is from the Framers mailing list Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com Archives located at http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ Subscribe and unsubscribe at http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com
Re: [Framers] Question About Revision History.
Rick, Revision history is often more of a regulatory requirement than a nice-to-have feature. If there are no external rules that say you must have it, then what purpose would it serve? Maybe just to show that the document does get updated from time-to-time? Ian Proudfoot -Original Message- From: Framers On Behalf Of Richard Melanson Sent: 26 November 2019 16:20 To: An email list for people using Adobe FrameMaker software. Subject: [Framers] Question About Revision History. Somewhat off topic, what does everyone think about not having a revision history in user manuals. My company has decided they do not want this in any customer facing docs. Thank you for your replies. Rick Richard Melanson Technical Writer|HighRes Biosolutions T:781.932.1912x1160|rmelan...@highresbio.com www.highresbio.com This e-mail message may contain confidential information and may not be used by anyone but the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use or dissemination of this message is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify HighRes Biosolutions immediately by reply email. Then delete this message from your system. Thank you. ___ This message is from the Framers mailing list Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com Archives located at http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ Subscribe and unsubscribe at http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com ___ This message is from the Framers mailing list Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com Archives located at http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ Subscribe and unsubscribe at http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com
Re: [Framers] Question About Revision History.
Build it into the part number?Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone Original message From: Richard Melanson Date: 11/26/19 11:19 AM (GMT-05:00) To: "An email list for people using Adobe FrameMaker software." Subject: [Framers] Question About Revision History. Somewhat off topic, what does everyone think about not having a revision history in user manuals. My company has decided they do not want this in any customer facing docs. Thank you for your replies. RickRichard MelansonTechnical Writer|HighRes BiosolutionsT:781.932.1912x1160|rmelan...@highresbio.comwww.highresbio.com This e-mail message may contain confidential information and may not be used by anyone but the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use or dissemination of this message is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify HighRes Biosolutions immediately by reply email. Then delete this message from your system. Thank you.___This message is from the Framers mailing listSend messages to framers@lists.frameusers.comVisit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.comArchives located at http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/Subscribe and unsubscribe at http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.comSend administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com ___ This message is from the Framers mailing list Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com Archives located at http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ Subscribe and unsubscribe at http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com
Re: [Framers] Question About Revision History.
I think it's a waste of pixels too. Assuming the user/customer is curious, the ReadMe or Release Notes should answer the question. If it/they don't, then maybe... but I wouldn't ever go more than the previous release deep. Art Campbell art.campb...@gmail.com "... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52 Vincent and a redheaded girl." -- Richard Thompson No disclaimers apply. DoD 358 On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 11:20 AM Richard Melanson wrote: > Somewhat off topic, what does everyone think about not having a revision > history in user manuals. My company has decided they do not want this in > any customer facing docs. > > Thank you for your replies. > > Rick > > Richard Melanson > Technical Writer|HighRes Biosolutions > T:781.932.1912x1160|rmelan...@highresbio.com > www.highresbio.com > > This e-mail message may contain confidential information and may not be > used by anyone but the intended recipient. If you are not the intended > recipient, you are hereby notified that any use or dissemination of this > message is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, > please notify HighRes Biosolutions immediately by reply email. Then delete > this message from your system. Thank you. > ___ > > This message is from the Framers mailing list > > Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com > Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com > Archives located at > http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ > Subscribe and unsubscribe at > http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com > Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com ___ This message is from the Framers mailing list Send messages to framers@lists.frameusers.com Visit the list's homepage at http://www.frameusers.com Archives located at http://www.mail-archive.com/framers%40lists.frameusers.com/ Subscribe and unsubscribe at http://lists.frameusers.com/listinfo.cgi/framers-frameusers.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com