Comments on: Random Thoughts on the Passing Scene #59

By: Vitaliy

Vitaliy — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 16:39:52 +0000

Switching from MS Help 2.0 to CHM is easy.
I am using portable Turbo Delphi now, with help from RAD 2007 Help Update 2. All in chm, all working.
Just two days and two smart guys to make total conversion :-).

And I insist on total help file conversion to public Wiki.
Making back converter to chm is also not very hard (you must be allowed to download current snapshot in chm every day, not one-two releases per year). I don’t see any other way to improve help.

By: Kryvich

Kryvich — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:04:28 +0000

Just distribute the platform help files in MS Help 2.0 format and the Delphi help files in .chm format - it’s the solution!

Look in PHP help files for a reference - help articles + many examples from the community.

By: Luigi D. Sandon

Luigi D. Sandon — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:43:10 +0000

Lot of examples won’t make help better. Would just allow sloppy programmers to cut&paste and learn nothing. A good help has a deep explanation of the topic, and allow to understand what it exactly means, how works and how can be used. Some examples are ok for newbies, but I hate "teach by example". Almost useless.

I agree that nice graphics and HTML formatting just use much more screen space and make help harder to read.

Switching to .chm is an issue because MS contents for development come in the new stupid help format. Bit difficult to merge them, otherwise.

By: chris z

chris z — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:21:08 +0000

I agree with C Johnson
get in to US market more
Would be nice to have a Delphi Group in Tri-state Area on the East Coast.

By: Kacper Kwapisz

Kacper Kwapisz — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:43:31 +0000

Nick, in "The Delphi Survey" is problem with charset. Text is written in "win1250", but charset in meta section is "iso-8859-2"…

Best regards.

By: Vitaliy

Vitaliy — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 06:55:31 +0000

Concerning compiler for every child.
We still do not know any plans about next Turbo versions and especially their license details about education usage.
Delphi 2007 is, sadly, not an option for wide education usage with its NET based bloatware IDE, quite big price (I know about your academic scheme, but it needs license server and good technical personell for this, most teachers prefer to use much less hassle Turbo’s).
And help files. Ouh, they are not suitable for any new developer.
I still remember Ctrl-F1 and instantly good result with usage example in TP 5.5-6.0.
I’ll tell you big secret - drawing good looking classes dependencies and buttons is not making help file. You need examples, thousands of them. Good core language help.
I suggest you to move all help files to special Wiki to allow your technical writers together with many developers to make proper help.
And get rid of this MS Help 2.0 help format. Move to normal chm.
I am bored to make conversion each time you make help update.

By: jachguate

jachguate — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 02:05:16 +0000

You’re forgetting the fact that Software Guru mentions ClubDelphi.com as the best spanish portal for developers.

By: C Johnson

C Johnson — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 01:06:21 +0000

ya, Definitely. Sadly, I expect the C++ share to be on the heavy side. Still, any exposure is good exposure.

Now get it into north american institutions too!