What is NetZIP?
Netzip 7.5 was the flagship product for the company. Netzip 7.5 (or Netzip Classic) is a file archive utility, similar to Winzip. It allows you to compress files so they take up less space for storage or email correspondence.
Were you the sole author of NetZIP 7.5?
Yes. After version 5.5, I completely redesigned the Help and reworked most topics. This project was designed to be bundled with downloadable software, so the Help had to be very light-weight and easy to use.
At one point in 1999, a copy of NetZIP (including my Help) was downloaded once every four minutes. However, since NetZIP was purchased by RealNetworks, this download rate has likely increased.
What were some of the challenges you faced?
The challenges I faced were two-fold.
First, I had to create the WinHelp for NetZIP 6.0. In the fall of 1998, I had no previous technical writing experience, nor any experience with RoboHelp. I had to learn as I worked.
Second, although I had version 5.5 to build upon, I had to do a better job than the previous technical writer with whom management was not pleased. The owner of the company was trusting that I would produce a better Help so that less calls and emails were placed to technical support.
Netzip 6.0 was released in 1998. My supervisor, James Knaack, was both surprised at the results, and surprised that I had “learned the ropes” so fast. His letter of recommendation is available on this website.
In late spring of 1999, I attended the Official RoboHelp Training class, offered by BlueSky software. However, my skills were already so advanced that the instructor asked me to tutor the other students. The teacher was also the head of the Atlanta chapter of the Society for Technical Communications. He suggested that I join his chapter to share my skills with others, and to grow in my profession.
How do I launch the WinHelp?
Since older WinHelp projects are incompatible with Windows, see this PDF for screen shots of my work.