CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Preface

  1      Multiplatform Documentation Strategies

  1.1 What Is a Multiplatform Product?

  1.2 What Is Multiplatform Documentation?
    1.2.1      Level of Platform Independence
    1.2.2      Type of Software Product
    1.2.3      Expected Use of the Product

  1.3 Choosing a Multiplatform Documentation Strategy
    1.3.1      Determining the Level of Platform Independence
    1.3.2      Determining the Type of Product
    1.3.3      Determining the Expected Use of the Product

  1.4 Addressing Multiplatform Issues in Existing Documentation

  2      Guidelines for Documenting Multiplatform Products

  2.1 Maintaining Equality

  2.2 Abstracting Product Information from Platform Details

  2.3 Writing Modular Documentation

  2.4 Planning for the Future

  3      Common Problems in Multiplatform Documentation

  3.1 Asynchronous Releases

  3.2 Standards Submissions

  3.3 Online Information

  3.4 Terminology

  3.5 System and Interactive Utility Prompts

  3.6 File and Path Names

  3.7 Software Installation

  3.8 Configuration, System Management, and Problem Solving

  3.9 Hidden or Missing Features

  3.10 Language Extensions

  3.11 Machine Architecture Dependencies

  3.12 Routine Libraries

  4      Case Studies

  4.1 Case 1:  Documenting a Multiplatform Bundled Product
    4.1.1      Organizing the Documentation
    4.1.2      Planning for the Future

  4.2 Case 2:  Documenting a Multiplatform Programming Language
    4.2.1      Organizing the Documentation
    4.2.2      Planning for the Future

  4.3 Case 3:  Documenting a Multiplatform End-User Application
    4.3.1      Organizing the Documentation
      4.3.1.1      Abstraction and Modularity Considerations
      4.3.1.2      Decisions
    4.3.2      Planning for the Future

  FIGURES

  1-1        Types of Software Products

  TABLES

  1-1        Documentation Requirements for Different Types of Products