Will Intel offer printed documents?

[weichao]

I bought INTEL FORTRAN ELECTRONIC DOWNLOAD version, and I don't know whether printed documents are included in CD-ROM version. I do not like to read on-line help or PDF files. I hope Intel could provide printed documents(just likes Compaq sell language reference and programming guide of CVF).

Dennis Hsu

[Steven_L_Intel1]

At present, Intel does not offer printed compiler documentation. We are considering doing so in the future, however, as we know that many customers like it. It is likely that the printed documentation will need to be separately ordered.

Steve

[Michael_E_Intel1]

A major problem with printed documents is they get out-of-date so fast, whereas the online documents can be easily updated with each release.

For example, the Compaq Fortran language reference was last printed in 1999.

The CVF programmer's guide was printed by a third-party publisher also in 1999, not by DIGITAL/Compaq. The online format is not something that can be easily converted to printed format (it took months).

[kdkeefer]

The documents, both the CVF manuals that can with my original purchase and Programmer' Reference that I purchased separately I find of tremendous use, i.e. the compiler would useless without them. I consult or study them daily. I use online help once a month, max. The outdatedness of the manuals is pretty well compensated for by release notes that accompany the download of a new version, which I often print. The printed documents generally appeared to be edited by someone whose native language is English, not C or Fortran. The often incomplete, erroneous and self contradictory online help does not appear to be has comprehensively and
professionally edited. The relative merit of currency versus correctness is a topic for debate.
Regards,
Keith

[Steven_L_Intel1]

Well, the same people who do the printed documentation (Mike Etzel and Karen Dickinson) do the online documentation. However, the source of the online "language reference" has its history in Microsoft source, and there may be sections that haven't been appropriately rewritten. Most of it looks pretty good to me.

Steve