Application program Help is all over the place on the Mac platform. Sometimes, you'll see the standard OS interface, other times, it will be a proprietary interface, and in Adobe's case (for CS4 that is), it's all web-based.

Yes, that's right, CS4 help is web-based. Now at first glance, that may sound ideal and when you first try it, you might be impressed to find that any search will return results not only from the Adobe website, but anywhere on the web.

However, this can be a hindrance and not help. If you use a focused search on something like "Knife Tool", in Adobe Illustrator CS4, you may get some results that are directly about CS4 and some that aren't. In earlier versions of Adobe products, the Help file would be only about that particular product. It becomes more frustrating in Flash, when you're doing searches on ActionScript particulars. I thought the earlier help tools were much more helpful, though maybe not as broad, than the current version.

The most frustrating thing about the new help system is that, if you don't have an internet connection, you can't get help! That just doesn't seem right.

What are your thoughts?

On another note, it's been a while since I've posted here. I've been posting at my other blogs:
http://usingflash.blogspot.com
http://usingillustrator.blogspot.com
http://usingindesign.blogspot.com
http://usingphotoshop.blogspot.com

I'm also feature in another blog from the school where I'm currently teaching:
http://www.cdiabu.com/blog

Finally, I'm also blogging for my place of work at:
http://boggse-learningchronicle.typepad.com/the_online_conte/
in the Tricks and Tips for CSS, Flash, XHMTL Category.

Labels: Adobe, Flash, Help, Illustrator, InDesign