Who cares enough about online Help files to write to the author or to pass on the files to others or to labor in translating them to other languages? The following are some of those people. My Windows hypertext guide to undocumented cost-saving tips to CompuServe, then the largest online service in the world, spread rapidly and spawned French and German editions. This broad and vocal support led to a writing and GUI design career.
Mr. Brett Merkey,
Thanks for the agreement to let New Riders
Publishing use some of your software creations in the CD-ROM
which will accompany Inside Windows 95.
I'm returning your copy of the distribution agreement for your
records. Please keep us posted on cool stuff you might want others to
know about; that's what we're here for!
Steve Weiss, editor,
New Riders Publishing
MacMillan Computer Publishing
Dear Mr. Merkey,
PC Praxis is one of the most popular computer
magazines in Germany with a sold circulation of approximately 220.000
copies each month. The Online Praxis is a special edition of the PC
Praxis which is published every three months. At the moment we are
preparing the July edition.
We would very much like your permission to include your Guide
to Auto-Pilot in our CD-ROM edition.
I'm looking forward to a good online and offline cooperation
Kerstin Viehl
(Editor PC Praxis and Online Praxis)
Brett,
WHAT A FIND! I love it.
My company, Help University, produces a CD Rom for
one of our conferences--the Southwest WinHelp Developers Conference. I
would be delighted to put this help file on the CD, not only as an
example of a useful help file, but because so many of the attendees
use CompuServe many, many times each day. These people are quick
studies, and, worst case scenario, the word gets out faster.
Thanks for a wonderful addition to the functionality of WinCim. Please let me know if it's okay to put this file on the CD. I realize that you give permission in the actual help file, but nothing is going on that CD without the explicit, written (or e-mail) permission of the author.
Regards,
MJ Plaster
Executive Vice-Pres., Help University, Inc.
From Help Author's Resource Kit
Weisner Associates, Inc.
WinHelp Macro Reference for Non-Programmers
by Brett Merkey
“Handy and vivid reference to WinHelp macros and the Help Project file (.HPJ), with scores of tips and tricks for handling Help graphics and word processor issues. The 'Storeroom of Great Information' offers live examples of many macros with accompanying instructions for implementation. One of the most comprehensive references of its kind released outside of book form, and presented in a refreshingly irreverent fashion.”
from letter of recommendation from Joel Diamond:
Many professional writers do not have professional academic training. You are a late bloomer and have publicly demonstrated (and risked) creating a document that has been downloaded by thousands of individuals. Your success in technical expertise on Windows communications software is recognized by dozens of computer journalists, technical support managers of major hardware/software firms, and thousands of the most technical computer literate PC users anywhere.
Go for it!
Joel
Hello Mr Autopilot,
I read a little summary of your achievements in DOS
Magazine. This is a German Language computer magazine.
It's great!! I carried out your instructions and what a difference it
makes.
Thanks again
Stuart M. 100420,333
THE. . . . .
BEST Help File I ever saw in WINDOWS land.
I found about your great work in PC Plus Magazine
07/95 Edition
C U in a better E - world
Ofer D. 100274,3025
Tel - Aviv Israel
Brett,
Have just found your .HLP file in UKCOMMS forum. Just like to say
thanks a lot! This should make British Telecom and CIS a little
unhappy. I expect your file will be worth more than most of my
christmas presents in the long term.
Have a good christmas.
Kieron D. 100334,2162
Mr. Merkey,
Please let me know how to get your Guide to
Auto-Pilot. I'd like to be the first kid on my block here in
Switzerland with the updated version!
Ron R. - Zug, CH, 100111,403
Brett
There has been a buzz of excitement in the UK Computing Forum here on
CIS this week because someone stumbled across your CisWin
Guide to Auto-Pilot. Everyone wants to know more
about it.
Mike L. 100012,2105 (Scotland)
Respected Sir, 74344,1350
I was amazed to see your fantastic "behind the scenes" view of WinCIM
and it's possibilities. Your humour was very enjoyable as well.
I congratulate you for a well written and most humorous help.file but
I couldn't find your name anywhere in the pilot.file.
sincerely,
SURESH K. 76212,3620 Bangkok, Thailand
Hi Great Detective,
(sorry, I don't know your name so I have to address you like that.) I
can't even remember when I downloaded your help file. It must have
been one of these long nights when I just cannot turn off the
computer. Thank God I checked the files out before deleting all the
other rubbish...
I really didn't believe what I read until I tried it. Man, this
feature could have saved me so much time and money, if I had known
about it before. Well, at least it will from now on. :-)
It's a shame that you never read about Auto-Pilot in any of these
so-called independent computer mags that usually tell you all the
hidden features of every program (I work in the software localisation
business so I read a lot of them). At least here in Germany they
do.
Thank you very much for revealing this secret,
Kai B.
Hallo Zusammen!
Ihr kennt doch sicherlich die Datei
PILOT.EXE aus der DMVGER Lib 1. Das File ist eine Windows Hilfe
Datei, inder die AutoPilot Funktion des CompuServe WinCim genau
erklärt wird und dabei noch jede Menge Tips und Tricks verraten
werden.
Ich habe seit einiger Zeit mit dem Autor
Brett Merkey Kontakt und er ist gerade dabei, eine französische
und eine deutsche Version des Tips- und Tricks-Files rund um WinCim
zu erstellen.
Die französische Version ist fast
fertig, für die deutsche Ausgabe sucht Brett noch einen Co-Autor,
der Lust hat, bei deren Erstellung mitzuarbeiten.
Also, bitte überlege Dir, ob Du
da nicht ggf. mitschreiben willst. DANKE!!!!
Liebe Grüße
Michael Rupp, 74431,705
Mr. Merkey,
You have _made my day_ -- twice in one day! I am even one of those
guys who reads the online Help file; how else would I know about
Pilot.
I have to tell you every day when I start my "customized" WinCim, I am
fascinated by the graphic of the figure of a man rising out of the
swamps. Perhaps you intended it to be a metaphor for CompuServe, but I
consistently view it as a commentary on the human race. It has a
tendency to keep me humble on a daily basis.
Earl M. 74745,1142
I saw "BM" on your note. Own up now! Are you Brett Merkey, and is the Autopilot Guide yours?
If so, a zillion thanks, and many, many stars.
Kenny B. 100420,3100
Brussels
Your guide is awesome!
Not only does it answer questions I had -- and ones I'd never thought of asking -- but it reveals two aspects of CompuServe that are new to me: first, the sleazy way that the management operates in not sharing this efficient way to retrieve information; and second, the flip side, the open-handed way some people willingly offer hard-earned information just to be helpful. I'm a newcomer to the online scene, and I'm only afraid that the trend is moving toward the greed and away from the sharing.
Thanks a million!
Renee S. 74344,3314
I don't know if you remember me, but I wrote you awhile ago about an article in Online Access regarding WinCim Autopilot. I just wanted to take the time to thank you. You responded immediately by sending me a copy of your autopilot help file.
I've been using it constantly ever since. It's nice to see that there are people out there willing to lend a hand to a complete stranger. As a new member to Compuserve it made me feel right at home. And you have already saved me a lot of money.
And again thanks,
Lyle L. 75552,2024
Wow. Thanks. The world suddenly seems like a nicer place because of
your Help file.
Eric L. 74503,420
Just read more thoroughly your great help file for Auto-pilot. It answered a lot of my questions about Auto-pilot, and a lot I would never have thought of. Also gave me a few laughs.
Your help file is the most enjoyable I have ever read.
Thank you very much.
Margaret B. 73313,2070
Hello Brett,
I've just been through a *certain* help file you put together for the
benefit of us poor benighted CIS users. This just to say thanks for an
excellent laugh and some valuable insight into the goings on behind
the scenes.
Keep up the good work.
regards,
Mark C. 100717,1272
Mr. Merkey,
I am a Compuserve Representative and I just ran into a situation
yesterday that has been bugging me to no end. Then today I was reading
some help files and ran across your help file for Auto-Pilot and was
almost floored at my good luck!
Laurie B. CompuServe 75162,1426
I've just downloaded your PILOT.HLP file and am overcome with joy !
I've been trying to find some software to automate the retrieval of messages etc for some time, but with no luck. And although I've not fully tried all your suggestions yet I'm sure that my search is now over.
I've also got a few friends who have been looking too. Needless to say your help file will soon be winging its way to their mailboxes.
Thanks again.
Rob A. 100763,547 (A grateful friend)
Brett,
Whoaa, what an eye-opener ! Hey, that's some superb sleuthing you
did. This needs to be broadcast to everyone with a CIS account!. . . .
. .
Thanks again, Brett. Keep up the outstanding work.
Lee R. 71414,3011
Brett Merkey is cooler than cooooool! I met him at the Info Online Conference and he was the guru of style! He has been kind enough to let me put the following programs on my site:
Macro Reference for Non-Programmers — Even if you are CLUELESS what this means (I was), take a look at it for entertaining tips on Help authoring!
TechWritingMkt.com
I have been using your Macro Reference for Non-Programmers help file for a while now, as I find it a very useful source of information for the WinHelp developer, and certainly easier to understand and extract information from than the likes of Microsoft's HAG [Help Authoring Guide] help file.
If you do do any work in HTML or HTML Help, and release it on your page, I would be grateful if you would drop me an email letting me know.
Thanks very much.
R M, ariad@globalnet.co.uk
Thank you for giving such easy access to the Macro Reference
for Non-Programmers. It is a great help.
Mary, Boeing / RCAS
ROFL!!! Your work on pilot.hlp has been the greatest fun I've had in AGES! <VBG> Thanks a million!
Of course, I've also appreciated *immensely* the extra help in
understanding a few more tips for using Auto-Pilot -- especially the
"Interactively Marked Items" function (I just couldn't figure that one
out on my own).
Jerry H. 71722,373
Brett Merkey
Thanks for the documentation. Most fun I've had reading docs in a
long time. Enjoyed your sense of humor--and your brevity!
Lin E. 74617,1133
Subj: Your Custom and Pilot Files
From: ALVIN B. 75203,3312
Mr. Merkey,
I was on the Microsoft forum picking up bits and pieces last night.
Today I decided to check out exactly what it was I had taking up my
hard drive space and finally came across your file on customizing
WinCim.
Well I've got to tell you that you floored me. I didn't think that you could do these things to this program! I continued to read then decided to go back to the Microsoft forum and retrieved the Auto-pilot file.
I laughed....... alot...... You see I'm an engineer. Not of software like you, hardware service is my game. I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you!!! In case no one has ever told you there are people out here that appreciate your knowledge and input. I've only been on CServe a few months and I was considering cancelling. Now I think I'll stick around a little longer. Keep up the good work and good luck to you my friend.
I have just unzipped the one and only Guide to Auto-Pilot. I appreciate your devoted time and energy to develop this file. I not only found it very useful making Auto-Pilot very simple to use but the anecdotes were worthwhile reading.
Funny and VERY informative is the way I would describe it. The best part was finding the "Secret Door" and really getting some inside information.
This should be required reading for all Cserve Members.
Thanks Again, Dick S. 74104,1027
I have truly enjoyed this great twist on help files! It makes help fun, enjoyable and encourages me to use it.
Thank you!
Francis H. 71175,2645
Brett,
You are _THE_ man!!!
Dude, there's even hidden stuff in your guide to the hidden stuff!!
You are _so_cool ! ! !
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
!
<not being sarcastic>
I_love_ it. I was wondering if I could up-load it to another forum, specificaly the student's forum (GO STUFO)? Please let me know.
Thanks,
Kenny B. 74532,171
HI Brett!
Read your Pilot.hlp file! GREAT STUFF!
I've been using Auto-Pilot, but the things you've said are very, very nice. Glad to see you're around! May the Force be with you. Live VERY Long and Prosper!
Best Regards...
Fred G. 70544,3475