Compiling our FAQ to a downloadable help file

[dee-u]

I am not sure if this should be against any rules in our site but can't we compile our FAQs and make them into a downloadable help file?

[RhinoBull]

I can't speak for admins so I'm saying if it's not against JM AUP then it is definitely against the common sense.
How often would you go to say MSDN on-line if you have it installed locally? Answer is probably "close to never".

[dee-u]

Well, probably they still could show the ads in the help file if it is online, and probably make vbforums.com available on the help file itself...

[si_the_geek]

The lack of adverts is one drawback, but there are ones that I personally consider to be more important due to the fact that there are regularly new articles and replies.

First and most important, people are likely to just keep whichever version they originally downloaded, so wont see newly added/altered articles - and then come to ask questions that already have an FAQ article.

If there were separate downloads for each set of FAQs (Classic VB/Office Development/DB/...) then people would probably just download one, and then not have relevant articles (which are often linked from a different index). If there was a single download, people would be downloading a large amount of data that they will probably never use.

The other issue is that whoever was creating the downloadable version(s) would need to regularly re-build/re-compile it all. That is something that I would not volunteer for, as there is already a fair amount of effort needed in the moderation and update process - I have spent around 2 hours doing it this week (admittedly more than usual, due to the size/complexity of the article LaVolpe posted).


Due to the FAQs all being listed in appropriate indexes, it isn't hard for people to load the index page and find the relevant article(s), so I don't think a downloadable version is a good idea.

[mendhak]

How often would you access a local CHM file when you are online on a website?

[dee-u]

There are circumstances wherein a local help file would be of help like when we don't have internet access, vbforums is down, and navigating and searching a local help file is easier. Though if it can't be done then I won't push for it, the idea just came to since I have this help file which is actually a compilation of different snippets also. Perhaps when I'll have time and probably learn how to make a help file then I'll try doing it myself...