A big thank you to everyone who replied to my previous questions about accessing Citrix documentation. for the second and final set of questions in this about your documentation preferences. Remember, there a small, randomly drawn prize open to anyone who takes part. All you have to do is post a reply here, and I will enter you into the draw!

class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal">By the way, summary of the replies received on earlier questions:

• Not many of you use the docs on the CD directly or install them on servers.
• Many of you use the web to access and update docs.
• Other information sources (such as Brian Madden site) are helpful.
• The IBM and Adobe of documentation delivery worth checking out.

So, other questions I have for you... concern the different publishing formats that we use at Citrix. A few of you have already touched on this, but I thought it was worth asking explicitly about file formats because they can really influence how you interact with (not just read) content in our publications. Depending on the task you performing (planning, installing, troubleshooting, etc.), different doc formats are more suitable than others. Furthermore, product documentation in different may affect how your organization shares and there may even be security implications. In short, formats are important.

Which formats do you prefer, and why?

Citrix publishes product documentation in a variety of formats administrator guides as PDFs, in-product Help systems as compiled HTML Help, readmes as standalone HTML files, and Knowledge Base articles in HTML format on our web site.

Please tell us about any preferences you have. Maybe you don have a strong opinion about this, but try looking at it this way: if you like your guides in PDF format (say, when you planning your Citrix deployment), would it bother you if these guides were only available in HTML format on the Citrix website?

Conversely, if you frequently consult the online Help (say, to check how to fill in a field in a dialog box), would your organization be concerned if the Help were not installed with the Citrix product, but were instead available on the Citrix website? In other words, you need an Internet connection while using the product, but, once connected, you have access to more up-to-date Help topics. Is a permanent Internet connection that available from any Citrix server a constraint for your organization?

Do you prefer reading content on web pages rather than in PDF documents?

class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal">Also, as a matter of interest, have you changed your opinion about publishing formats in the last few years? Maybe you now less reliant on PDF documents than you were a few years ago, and instead favor HTML-based documents.

Please tell us about your experiences, expectations, and desires in this area. We like to hear from you.