Conference 7.286::digital

    Re: .1
    
    In my short lived role as documentation focus for my previous team I
    found that the SPD's usually contained a reference to documentation. 
    In several cases this is a reference to a documentation kit.  Not the
    individual manuals.  I had to order the kit to find the manuals that
    were useful then just order those.  
    
    This seemed particularly wasteful as only 2-3 manuals per kit were
    relevant to the team.  The others just got stuck on the shelf or
    trashed.  
    
    Carl
    

    A suggestion would be to contact Diana Taheri at NQO.  She's listed as
    the responsible person for the AA-AZ parts in the DEC STD 012-02
    Unified Numbering Code for Part Identifer Class Codes.  Also, Debbie
    Edwards is listed at a contact person under U.S. 

    it would be an interesting project to grab all the SSB BOMs, break
    out the -GZ part numbers into their individual parts, and serve it all
    up on the WWW.
    
    Mark

    I forwarded the base note and a couple of replies to a very responsible
    and responsive manager at the US SSB.  --Susan

    For what it's worth; this type of information used to be readily
    available in the Software Documentation Products Catalog sent out
    by DECdirect.  Unfortunately, the last one published was October,
    1991; as with most things highly useful in doing our daily jobs it
    has gone the way of the dodo bird :-(
    
    DEC-SALE gets many calls asking us this type info, we can readily
    provide the -GZ kit part #s, but we do not have EASY access to a
    system that will give us a quick breakdown.  We have very limited
    access to the APPIX database; IF we're lucky enough to get in, we
    can't always find a complete documentation breakdown for every SW
    product.

    I'm also with DEC-SALE and dig for this information consistantly. Trust
    me, there is no one resource/database for all the documentation readily
    accessable. The options are:
    
    Hard copy:
    
    U.S. Software Price List (look in the index since it is scattered
    according to platform. breakdowns are included but one must understand
    how to do DEC part number boms)
    
    Digital Assisted Services
    Multivendor Customer Services
    U.S. Edition Price List  ( last published December 1993 ? Doc's start
    in Part E
    
    SOC (Systems and Options Catalog) gives very limited doc part numbers
    
    Online:
    
    APPIX system but acces is limited
    VTX IR for SPD's (IR  really stands for Information
    Refiled_and_buried_under_layers_of_frustration)
    OMS system if you have access will sometimes break down packages
    AQS system will sometimes give a long description with the doc part numbers
    
    There are probably more, but these are the most common. 
    
    And if you think this is fun...next try for service descriptions!
    
    map
    

    I worked in the SSB as a Planner a few years back.  I know that they
    (SSB) have access to the info you're looking for.  They can access
    the MAXCIM system which will show the BOM for the product you are 
    interested in.  You could take a look at the BOM, decide to order the
    entire GZ (complete Documentation Kit) or just the individual
    documentation partnumbers (usually AA/AV/AE p/n's).  EK partnumbers are
    most commonly used for the documentation related to the hardware for
    the product (although this may have changed when P&CS merged with SSB).
    
    Good luck.
    Jeanne
      

    
    Steve, 
    
    Try looking in VTX LOS from your local account.   At the main menu, 
    slect #2 "Browse through Literature Catalogue"; from the "Browse
    Options", select #2 "Technical Documentation" and locate the
    documentation you are seeking.   Many times you must be general with 
    the name/option and manually "Browse".   Documentations can (also) be 
    located from TIMA.
    
    Don Decker