[kde-doc-english] "Documentation not found" handbook in KHelpcenter - terminology

[Burkhard Lück]

Am Mittwoch, 22. September 2010, um 21:56:29 schrieb Jack:
> On 2010.09.22 14:57, Burkhard Lück wrote:
> > Am Dienstag, 21. September 2010, um 23:32:35 schrieb Jack:
> ...
> 
> >> One question - it would be nice if we could be consistent with use
> >> of the words documentation, manual, and handbook.  They seem to be
> >> used almost interchangeably.  This confused me a bit as a new KDE
> >> user, until I just got used to the terminology.  I don't know if
> >> this is addressed anywhere in the KDE documentation.
> > 
> > Me did not notice an inconsistency so far, but from a new KDE users
> > PoV that could be really different.
> 
> Maybe it is not as much of a problem as I thought.
> 
> > An attempt for a definition of these terms from my pov:
> > 
> > 1) Handbook -> the application help lanched via F1/Help menu
> 
> This is always clear, although I have sometimes referred to the
> handbook as the manual.  KDE seems to use handbook specifically for
> this, where non-KDE apps and systems might use manual.  In English, I'm
> not sure the difference between the words is significant.
> 
> > 2) Manual -> man(ual) page
> 
> I'm so used to Unix-speak, that I had almost forgotten that "man" was
> short for "manual."  I don't think I've ever seen anyone say manual
> instead of man-page.  In general English usage, I think of most
> man-pages as a summary or abbreviated form of a manual, although there
> are certainly exceptions.  Perhaps it is best just to explicitly say
> man-page and avoid use of the work manual.
> 
> > 3) Help for System Setting modules, ioslaves and the like,
> > technically usually a docbook article, what to use for them?
> 
> Perhaps help-page can be used as a general reference for anything too
> short or too narrow in scope to be called a handbook, and not written
> in the specific style of a man-page (or not documenting a single
> command).
> 
> > Documentation as general term for all types of help (1-3)
> 
> I agree.
> 
> > In bugreports often the term "Help" is used.
> 
> I would use Help in a broader way, including documentation, but also
> any context-sensitive assistance provided within an application itself,
> such as tool-tips.
> 
> > Jack, could you please give some examples for this inconsistent usage?
> 
> I don't have any concrete examples - it is mainly from memory, so
> probably nothing needs to be done about this unless anyone else speaks
> up.  I just need to stop saying manual when I mean handbook.
> 
I just found an example, Khelpcenter has "Application Manuals" as top level 
item.
Maybe this has to be changed to "Application Handbooks"?

-- 
Burkhard Lück