Acceptable ways of displaying help

Is including a "Help Web" in your application an acceptable way to include help?  Of course you would provide a browsing window within the application.  I think this might be easier to maintain than a help file.

Big Donny
Sunday, December 21, 2003

Why easier? The Microsoft Help format *is* just a web, with a file for the table of contents.

Joel Spolsky
Sunday, December 21, 2003

Well, for starters, the documentation can improve over time w/o having to download anything.

I think the primary question you have to ask before going down that path is: is your typical user always connected, and comfortable using a browser for help?

Brad Wilson (dotnetguy.techieswithcats.com)
Sunday, December 21, 2003

I find it annoying when an application launches a browser for its help window. On most computers there is still a bit of delay in spawning a new browser window.

Matthew Lock
Sunday, December 21, 2003

I would incorporate my own "browser window" into the application using the webbrowser control.

Big Donny
Sunday, December 21, 2003

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