atw: Guides and manuals [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

This may seem like a ridiculous question for an experienced tech writer
to be asking, but I'm wondering if there's any general agreement on the
distinction, if any, between a 'user guide' and a 'user manual'.
Wikipedia talks about 'a user guide, also commonly known as a manual'. 

Generally I've called what I've written 'user manuals' and thought of a
user guide as something much shorter, but I haven't ever seen a
definitive proclamation.

Surely someone on this list must have an answer to this question. Who
knows, maybe I'll get an answer we can all agree on. Or is that being a
tad optimistic?

Howard


----------------------------------
     Howard L. Silcock
      Technical Writer
 Common Services SOE Program
Network Infrastructure Development
    Department of Defence
      109 Kent Street
      Deakin ACT 2600           
      (02) 626 58395  
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