This manual is organised in a manner you probably have never seen before. Instead of trying to teach you all about the software, this manual provides detailed instructions on how to perform those tasks you want to do. Instead of requiring you to learn about large part of the software before you can use any part of, and instead of requiring you shovel through lots of unrelated documentation before you find what you need to know, this manual is task oriented making it trivial to locate just the information you need, when you need it.
This technique was first popularised by Peter Schorer in his book How to Create Zero-Search-Time Computer Documentation (which is highly recommended to those who have to write documentation). Please note that the ideas are Mr. Schorer's, any shortcoming in our implementation of them is ours and ours alone. In other words, please do not judge Mr. Schorer's design methodology by our imperfect use of his concepts.
Information, Locating
To find information on how to perform a specific task, think first of the thing you want to affect (i.e. the noun) and then the action you wish to perform on that thing (i.e. the verb). Then look for an entry of the form Noun, Verb below.
In addition to these Noun, Verb entries you can also look up common nouns (e.g. Log File) and common verbs (e.g. Printing) to obtain information on these topics.
And finally you can also flip to the index at the end of this manual.
While this might not result in literally zero search time, we hope that you will find the search time much much less than with other manuals you may have had to use. If not, let us know!
If there is a task you wish to perform and cannot find in this manual, we want to know! Email your question to support@faximum.com making it clear that you have tried to locate the information in this manual. Not only will you get an answer, you will be helping us make the next edition of this manual more useful and comprehensive.
Applicability Warning
FMS can be installed by itself or along with the Faximum PLUS fax server. Those entries below that only apply to FMS by itself as labelled FMS Only, while FMS+PLUS Only marks entries that apply to the combination of FMS and PLUS. If you have any question as to which version of the Faximum Messaging Software you have, please see "Faximum Messaging Server + PLUS" on page 87.
© 2000 Faximum Software Inc.