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Programmers and web links, annoyances

Modelworks

Modelworks

Lifer
The over use by programmers of web links in programs is getting very annoying. The web links I am referring to are the ones for when you uninstall the program or use the help function.

When I click help I DO NOT want to go to their web site to read the documentation. If they are too lazy to compile a help file then I am not going to use their software. If you can write a program you can include a help file with the documentation. I have seen this web approach in everything from free software to very expensive high end stuff. I installed a $2k CAD program and went to use help, click help and it launches my browser to their online help system. What would I have done if I was out in the field with no access ?

The other thing is the ones that want to send you to their site after a uninstall. I uninstalled your software. I do not want to go to your site to talk about it or be offered another product. When developers do stuff like that I never use their products again.

I don't think the above is too much to ask for.
 
I agree, I hate anything that relies on having a network connection. What if you want to use the software on a stand alone PC with no network access? Then you're screwed.

I'm also not a huge fan of how linux installers go. yum / apt etc. They work well and I use them, but i would very much prefer if they instead had a standard package manager where you download a file and run it. As long as that file also comes with all the dependancies. Not much to ask for.
 
Hmm, it's a tough question. Online documentation makes a ton of sense, obviously. In my case I probably can't work without an internet connection anymore. Or at least I cannot be anywhere near as productive. I have Comcast here and it's as reliable as my electric power (which I also can't work without 🙂). So I just expect it to be there and in that environment I have to vote for online documentation. Not saying it has to be displayed in a new browser window, but it still makes more sense to me than packaging up static data. You can take MS's approach and have a combination of the two.
 
I love online documentation and it would get my vote, and also, I almost always have some form of online access. However, I think there should be a combination, online is always updated, but your local documentation would slack in that regard.


I think that the uninstall of apps leading to a website is more of a marketing/r&d suggestion than anything, as most programmers I run into steer clear of things related to that nature.
 
Actually I see the idea that online documentation is easier to update but I find they should also package the program with the original. If the program does not change then the documentation should not change either. Maybe just have a link "for more up to date documentation click this link" or something.
 
I agree that online documentation is more current but I also see no reason why the documentation cannot be released with the program. You can always save your online documentation as html files and distribute that with the program and link to those in the program help. But including no documentation at all and just referring people to the web is being lazy.

Seems the web is having both a good and bad effect on programmers. In another thread I was talking about how programs are now released with more bugs than in the past because programmers know they can just put out a patch online so they are not as careful.
 
Modelworks said:
I agree that online documentation is more current but I also see no reason why the documentation cannot be released with the program. You can always save your online documentation as html files and distribute that with the program and link to those in the program help. But including no documentation at all and just referring people to the web is being lazy.

Seems the web is having both a good and bad effect on programmers. In another thread I was talking about how programs are now released with more bugs than in the past because programmers know they can just put out a patch online so they are not as careful.
Click to expand...

That may be true, I suppose. It may also be that most development is ultimately under the control of bean-counters these days, and they push crap out the door.
 
Sometimes, its better to have a smaller size program than to have all the documentation bundled. Still, I think a mixed approach is better.

-chronodekar
 
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