On-Line Documentation
Ta Fuh Chiam
We are thinking about subscribing to on-line documentation and do away with
hard-copy documentation for all layered products and VMS. However, I see a
slight problem. There is now no way to print manual from BOOKREADER except using
the PRINT SCREEN feature. How do people handle a VMS INstallation Guide
situation? In other words, if you do not have hard-copy documentation and want
to install VMS from a hard-copy console or video terminal, how do you handle it?
We usually don't have a workstation where you can read the VMS Installation
Guide on-line.
Is there a documentation only update service for just the VMS Installation
Guide?
Ta Fuh Chiam
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Ta Fuh Chiam
Ohio University, College of Business Administration / Phone: (614)593-2088
Management Information Systems FAX: (614)593-1388
Copeland Hall 22 INTERNET : ch...@vulcan.cba.ohiou.edu
Athens, Ohio 45701, U.S.A. or : ch...@ouvaxa.ucls.ohiou.edu
BITNET : CHIAM@OUACCVMB
Use my first Internet address if at all possible.
Disclaimer: What I have said are my opinions, not of anyone else.
============================================================================
Selden E. Ball, Jr.
You wrote
>We are thinking about subscribing to on-line documentation and do away with
>hard-copy documentation for all layered products and VMS.
We have found that, by itself, a subscription to the OLD (OnLine
Documentation) CD-ROM is inadequate.
Some of the documentation is out of date (e.g. the SMG
manuals), some of the "shelves" are incomplete (e.g. the GKS and
PHIGS shelves do not include the _Users' Manual_s), and many products'
manuals are not on the disk (e.g. DECmcc network management).
Also, the VMS manuals frequently are updated only for major releases.
Since text searches are not implemented, finding information
can sometimes be very frustrating. The indexes leave a bit to be
desired.
>How do people handle a VMS INstallation Guide situation?
The products on the CONDIST (Consolidated Software Distribution) CD-ROM
(including VMS) usually include printable installation manuals and release
notes in plain ASCII and in PostScript.
As with the Documentation discs, however, there are problems:
new software releases usually gets to the CDs several months later than
the individual distribution kits, and not all elegible products are
included. Also, not all products can be included: only those which
are LMF compliant are allowed to be put on the discs.
I hope this helps.
Selden E. Ball, Jr.
Cornell University Voice: +1-607-255-0688
Laboratory of Nuclear Studies FAX: +1-607-255-8062
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Mark K. Miller (814) 863-7015
>included. Also, not all products can be included: only those which
>are LMF compliant are allowed to be put on the discs.
***** MISCONCEPTION ALERT!!! *****
I agree with Seldon that Digital did, at one time, want us to believe
this restriction about LMF. However, the CONDIST currently includes
the VMS PATHworks Server for both DOS and MAC. Neither of these products
are LMF compliant.
I realize that inquiring minds couldn't care less!
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Mark H. Wood
>this restriction about LMF. However, the CONDIST currently includes
>the VMS PATHworks Server for both DOS and MAC. Neither of these products
>are LMF compliant.
No, your sales rep. is still correct. If you don't have the correct license
(VAX-VMS) loaded, you can't run them! :-)
Or does VMS still ignore the case of the missing VMS license?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Mark H. Wood, Lead Analyst/Programmer +1 317 274 0749 [@disclaimer@]
Internet: IMH...@INDYVAX.IUPUI.EDU BITNET: IMHW400@INDYVAX
Jack Ziegler
> the Condist for VMS binaries.
>
> Jeff
That should be "virtually all". As of the March 1992 Condist, for
example, the Installation Guide for SSU (Session Support Utiltiy) was
not included - I just fumbled through installing it without one ...( :^( .
Jack Ziegler |
Computing Services | internet: j...@sonoma.edu
Sonoma State University | phone : (707)664-3098
Rohnert Park, CA 94928 |