Well, a help maker is a program a software designer uses to create the help files to distribute with their software. These help files, hopefully, gives users all the information they need to use the software.
At least, that is the official purpose of help maker programs. However, I've found that you can use help makers for other things, like organizing your computer files. And one of the best help makers I've come across is HelpNDoc.
What is HelpNDoc?
I've been using different help makers to keep my files organized for a while now. And there are a lot of good, free help makers out there. But HelpNDoc is turning out to be the most powerful, and easy to use.
Why Not Use a Personal Information Manager?
Of course, when it comes to organizing your personal information, using an actual Personal Information Manager (or PIM) would seem like the most logical choice.
But I've found that, when it comes to getting organized, different people have different needs. For some people, a Personal Information Manager like EverNote or KeyNote is the best choice. But, for others, a help maker like HelpNDoc would just work better for them.
The best way to find what works best for you is to try out a lot of different programs, and see what you're most comfortable with. Some people will prefer a PIM. For others, a help maker like HelpNDoc will suit their needs perfectly.
The Advantages of Using HelpNDoc
HelpNDoc is easy to use, and comes with a lot of great features that will make getting organized a snap.
There's very little difference between HelpNDoc and a word processor. So if you're comfortable using a program like Microsoft Word, getting the hang of HelpNDoc will be a breeze.
You can give any file you enter into HelpNDoc keywords, which will make organizing them, and finding them later, a snap.
After you've entered your files into HelpNDoc, you can compile them as either a CHM help file similar to those you see with almost every program you use with Windows, or as a set of HTML web pages.
The best thing about using HelpNDoc is that your work is portable. With most PIMs, you can't access your information unless you're on a computer with that PIM program installed.
What's great about HTML help files is that you can open them on any computer that uses Windows. So, you can take that information with you wherever you go, and access it on any computer you happen to be using.
It's a Great Help Maker, Too
If you're actually looking for a help maker to create a help file, HelpNDoc is a great choice. However, if you intend to distribute your help files with a software program, you'll probably have to spring for the registered version of HelpNDoc. Still, considering how easy it is to use the program, you might find it's worth it.
Sometimes, when trying to solve a problem, you have to look beyond the obvious solutions. While a PIM might seem like the obvious choice when trying to organize your personal information, you might find that a help maker is actually what you need to get the job done.
Published by Dee Jones
For years, I have been writing for free, and having fun doing it. But Associated Content looks like the perfect opportunity to earn extra money doing something I love. View profile
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