What is the difference between an application User Guide and a Read Me file?
+2
A:
A user guide (or users manual) is much more professional. It is something that you will give to the client along with the finished piece of software.
A read me is just a quick, thrown together, list of instructions. Nothing fancy.
A user guide could potentially be 50 pages (or more), while I view a read me as a few lines in a text file
Erik Ahlswede
2009-02-27 09:00:06
+1
A:
Depending on the technical competency of your user, I like to think of ReadMe(s) as something that the installer of an application will use, with tips for installing and facts to consider about the installation.
As Erik says the user manual is a glossy well thought out document meant for the end user of application who doesn't care how the software got on their machine they just want to know how to use it.
That said if the application is small and will be used by a small user base a ReadMe might be acceptable for providing instructions of use to the end user.
MrEdmundo
2009-02-27 09:05:27
Good point about installation
Erik Ahlswede
2009-02-27 09:06:26
The second paragraph is more of how it should be, but in the real world, unfortunately, users don't have the manual, and if they had it, they wouldn't read it ;)
OregonGhost
2009-02-27 09:08:16
I completely agree, I think hard copy manuals are dying, I must admit I really like the idea of wikis. A far easier searched piece of documentation.
MrEdmundo
2009-02-27 09:09:16
+3
A:
I think the README file you see nowadays in the installation directory of an application is related with:
- installation pre-requisite
- post-installation steps
- first run precautions/caveat
- quick release notes
- current known limitations and support phone number/address
In short, README has to do with "quick first run steps".
User Guide deals with the full life-cycle of the application (how to operate the program, advanced error messages and support topics, list of support sources of information)
VonC
2009-02-27 09:49:28