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From: erkyrath@netcom.com (Andrew Plotkin)
Subject: Re: The I-F CD project (take 2)
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Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 04:54:45 GMT
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aultman@koala.scott.net wrote:
> >I suggested on r.g.i-f (though it may not have surfaced) that all the
> >documentation for the CD be written in html:
> >
> [several reasons deleted]

> HTML is a Net centric tool. That is, you only have an HTML reader if you
> have Net access. If you do not have Net access, you don't have an HTML
> reader. Isn't the purpose of this CD to reach out beyond the Net? Who
> among us would want to install an HTML reader for the sole purpose of
> reading the documents of one software title you bought?

This is exactly what I was thinking.

> I'm sure there are one or two exceptions to the above statements, but I
> think the general idea applies. HTML wouldn't achieve the goals of the
> project. I can't see any reason to go beyond normal text files and perhaps
> a menu program. I've never looked for one, but it surely wouldn't surprise
> me if there are already some nice tools out there to create menu systems.

Matters will vary. Mac text files (SimpleText) already support styled 
text, and for that matter the Finder is a sufficient menu system. (Not as 
good as a custom-written one, but everyone has it and everyone can use 
it. End story.)

Unix sorts of systems aren't going to benefit from either fancy 
documentation or menus. Can't supply enough binaries.

Those of you in the Windows world are going to have to determine what the 
Morally Correct Way is for that partition.

--Z
-- 

"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the
borogoves..."
