Wiki Website Review
by: Kristy Benson, Member

Has your manager charged you with writing an HTML Help system for your company’s newest software release? Are you shopping around for an online help tool that will generate Web-based Help? Do you need instructions for linking your Help pages to an application? Are you looking for a good mailing list for help with WebWorks Publisher?

You can find answers to these questions and many others on the MSHelpWiki. Created by Microsoft Help MVPs, the MSHelpWiki at www.mshelpwiki.com is a knowledgebase of online Help-related information. The website is unique because it is set up as a Wiki, a site where anyone can freely edit the contents. This Wiki format allows the community of Microsoft Help MVPs and Help authors in general to contribute to the website. (You can learn more about Wikis at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki.)

The main content areas of the Wiki are listed on the left side of each page. In addition to the Help-related content, there are instructions for editing the Wiki, a glossary of Help terms and acronyms, and a page for suggestions. You can also view recent changes to the Wiki via a link at the top.

The different Microsoft Help technologies are each assigned their own page. Naturally, the familiar WinHelp and HTML Help formats are present, but you can also view information on MS Help 2.x (the help system used by Visual Studio .NET help and MSDN Library) and Longhorn Help (the Help format that will be introduced with the next version of Microsoft Windows). These pages include links to articles, bug lists, and frequently asked questions about each Help format. You can also find details on connecting each Help format to an application written using various programming languages like Visual Basic, C++, and Delphi.

The Wiki includes an extensive list of Help authoring tools with links to vendor websites. You can read other users’ comments about the tools they have experience with, and you can leave a comment of your own. Some tools also have links to more extensive reviews on external websites.

You can browse a list of online support groups for Help authoring. This includes general Help-related mailing lists (like the HATT discussion group), along with vendor-sponsored mailing lists and forums.

The Wiki also contains a section with general HTML information, under the heading Cross-Browser. Listed here are links relating to Web standards, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and other information useful for writing Help that will be viewed in various Web browsers and operating systems.

Unfortunately, a few Help-related subjects lack meaningful content. For example, the Help Design and Translation & Localization pages have very little information. However, the beauty of the Wiki format is that any user can add content to these pages at any time. Hopefully, as Help authors write articles on these topics or come across useful tips on the web, these pages will fill up with links.

The MSHelpWiki is an excellent clearinghouse of links relating to the diverse aspects of authoring online Help. It is a great place to start if you have any questions about Help formats or tools. Even better, it is an exciting way to post your own links and share information with fellow Help authors in need.