Prinna brings up a good point about persuasion. Here's my question though--Is there an inherent persuasion factor in technical documents like online help? I realize that it is not a kind of blatant "buy this now because Shaquile O'Neil says so" type of persuasion, but certainly a helpful help system persuades us that the software is good, that perhaps I should use this software when the upgrade comes out....? Perhaps, in other words, there are types and levels of persuasiveness in technical documents. Certainly we cannot deny the pragmatic nature of technical documents either. Is this a realistic appraisal?