[softwarelist] Re: OPro Manual

David Pilling <flist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
<vIK5uGD$HnaEFwvI@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

> In message <gemini.izdr5j3w5e11203ld.tony@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Tony van der
> Hoff <tony@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes
> > David Pilling <flist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> > <UL4HOyB3RkaEFwZ$@pilling.demon.co.uk>
> >
> > > > It would be handy, please, particularly if it's HTML.
> >>
> > > Thou jest.
> >>
> > Not really...
> 
> Well obviously it displays shortcomings in the program (and perhaps in
> HTML), that there is no quick way convert from OP to HTML and get perfect
> results.
> 
> The other point is, why use HTML when you've got OP to display the
> documents. Taken to the logical conclusion there's no need for OP or OP
> documents, just use HTML for everything.
> 
> How much HTML to use has been a long running issue. On the Windows CD I've
> used quite a bit more.
> 
> I'm starting to be argumentative above. I can see that if you're away from
> your CD and trying to find information somewhere without OP then HTML
> documents would be a great help. Maybe PDF would do?
> 
Ooh, far be it from me to argue with the likes of yourself :-)

I'm sure some of the above was tounge-in-cheek, as was my earlier reply.

Far be it from me to try to teach grandmother to suck eggs, but as you must
be very well aware, Ovation and HTML fulfil entirely different purposes.
Picking the right tool for the job is - hopefully - part of the design
process. OPro is simply the most excellent document-composition package I
have ever come across, and I use it a lot. I have even had to get my risc-pc
repaired, simply to support this one application.

However, increasingly in my work, I'm turning to hypertext documentation,
because that's what its best at. Loading up a major monolithic document, be
it PDF or OPro, or even Word <spit> to search for a particular bit of
informaton is simply non-productive. Compare that to, say, the mySQL
documentation at http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/index.html, with
easily navigated links to just about any topic, which is exactly what HTML
was designed to do.

No matter which platform I'm currently using, clicking on an HTML link to
take me quickly to a salient piece of information is truly productive; PDF
manuals, and their ilk are only to be accessed in despaeration. I'm sure
opinions will vary on this...

Yes, I appreciate the oPRO manual was written using oPro, because it was
intended as a paper manual, and anyway, HTML wasn't about when it was first
written. I know there is no easy way to convert it, so it's unlikely to
happen, other than by some dedicated soul sitting down to do it. I believe
there are now some tools to help with that job. Anyway, that doesn't stop me
wishing... 

Now, dare I mention something else that I've been wishing for; running oPro
under Linux? I know you've been looking into it, but that was some while ago
- any progress?

Cheers, Tony.
-- 
Tony van der Hoff        | mailto:tony@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Buckinghamshire, England

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