[Python-Dev] Searching Python docs (Was: Python sidebar for Mozilla/Netscape)

[Guido van Rossum]

> > > My guess is that most of those will be using the win32
> > > distribution. Many of them will no doubt refuse to RTFM, but for
> > > those who will, providing them with the docs in .chm format (and
> > > actively promoting it) might cut down on the "support cost" of the
> > > traffic on c.l.py.
> >
> > I strongly doubt that the *format* we use to provide the docs makes
> > much of a difference.
> 
> *Strongly* disagree. As someone who doesn't know where everything is
> using docs where many things are in the wrong place, having built-in
> fast searching is absolutely essential for my work. I can just imagine
> how it is for a novice... as someone who's got the whole world in his
> brain, Guido, I think you should consider disqualifying yourself from
> trying to intuit what people need in the documentation department.

Fair enough, I hadn't thought of the search feature.  When I use it on
MS provided help topics, it's often very frustrating, so maybe I
didn't think favorably of it.  But I agree being able to search the
docs is important.

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)