My problem in a nutshell: Deliver dynamic online help for a dynamic
platform.

Background

We produce software that allows people to create applications for a
variety of platforms (multiple interactive TV platforms, Blu-ray, etc).
Marketing has submitted a requirement that the documentation be
"platform-specific". That is, if a customer buys and installs a license
allowing them to develop applications for Blu-ray, only the
documentation applicable to Blu-ray is available.

No problem, right? Conditional text, generate the Blu-ray only
documentation, have a beer.

But, what if the customer licenses Blu-ray and, say, OpenTV? If I could
clone myself, I could just build a slew of different combinations of
help systems and let the installation engineer figure out which one to
install. But, I'm a lone writer (80%) and I don't have time for that.
And what about the situation where the customer licenses the Blu-ray
platform and then decides to become an iTV application developer?

My initial thinking is that we should provide the help in XML (DITA?),
tagging each platform-specific topic with the platform. But then what?
The help system would somehow need to be able to show/hide topics based
on the tag and license used to install the product.

Has anyone encountered (and solved) this problem? Can you point me in
the direction of help delivery systems that might be able to serve up
platform-specific help? Consultants that might help me with this
problem?

Oh, one other variable: I'm told that the next generation of the UI will
hide (not just stipple/disable) elements that are not available with
the existing license.

I'm currently using Framemaker (7) and WebWorks 2003 and looking to
migrate to a new tool (Frame 8 + Flare or RoboHelp or ePublisher Pro).

Thanks,
Hanna


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