Re: We need to start talking about group and public annotations

BLONDBOMB@delphi.com
Wed, 20 Jul 1994 04:09:00 +0200

John and Brian,

After lurking here in the shadows awhile, I finally stumble on a subject
dear to my heart. I am sole tech writer for a team in the FAA that
develops and maintains software that calculates instrument approach
procedures for airports. I am converting all our documentation to online
using HTML and Mosaic on an SGI Indigo2 network.

The developers and users of the system consist of 3 groups: programmers,
spec writers, and endusers. They all see documents, attend meetings, work
on projects and need a more efficient annotation system when viewing meeting
notes and other documents. I designed (however dangerous) script that
captured the form input and appended it to the same file containing the form,
formatted the text and redisplayed it. To do this, of course, the file had
to have full permissions to the world and had potential for failure. Our
group was small enough and knowledgeable enough to use it properly and it
worked quite well.

I would love to get my hands on something that made annotating a simpler
process for groups. Please keep me informed of developments if possible.

Linda Stewart
IAPA Team, FAA, Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, OKC, OK
blondbomb@delphi.com