Online help

Online help is topic-oriented, procedural or reference information delivered through computer software. It is a form of user assistance. Most online help is designed to give assistance in the use of a software application or operating system, but can also be used to present information on a broad range of subjects. When online help is linked to the state of the application (what the user is doing), it is called Context-sensitive help.

Online help has largely replaced live customer support. Before its availability, support could only be given through printed documentation (limited), mail (long wait) or telephone (expensive).

When customers troubleshoot their own problems, quite often they can get to a solution by themselves, saving time and money for themselves and the company. More companies can afford this kind of help system, allowing them to compete with the large companies more effectively.

Online help is created using help authoring tools. It is delivered in a wide variety of formats, some proprietary and some open-standard, including:

Online help is also provided via live chat systems, one step removed from telephone calls. This allows the support person to conduct several support sessions simultaneously, thus reducing costs. The transcript is immediately available and can be sent to the customer right after the session ends.

The chat feature also reduces the intense negativity that can be directed at customer support personnel, requiring the customer to calm down and articulate their thoughts more clearly.

The Open Source tool DocBook XSL can also generate help files and is an excellent resource for single source publishing. From one source, DocBook can generate PDF, JavaHelp, WebHelp, eBook and many more formats (even .chm files if required). The same with DITA, which is even favored for that purpose.

Microsoft develops the platforms for delivering help systems in the Microsoft Windows operating system.

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Wikipedia