This will allow OEMs to add their custom help content and will provide a pluggable framework that defines a consistent overall end-user experience, while allowing custom content to be dynamically added over the Web. This content, at the base level, is very flexible: HTML and JavaScript.
This integrated help will save the user from looking in myriad locations to find out how to do what they know is possible. It will allow users to find help in a task-based fashion across multiple sources of help.
Content can be delivered in packages for easy transport, which allows new content to be conveniently transferred and updated via any medium, such as the Internet, floppy disks, or CD-ROMs. This content will be stored in a private directory associated with the vendor.
It allows newer, existing content to be added or modified easily. Help content can be located anywhere, including the local machine, the intranet, and the Internet. It provides direct links in the Help Center UI to help content that has been registered with Help Center.
This will enable Help files to be displayed using the old HTML Help interface. The Help Center will define, in collaboration with OEMs and ISVs, a publicly available Help taxonomy that will be used to organize the Help content into a hierarchy that is easy to navigate, provides security through the use of digitally signed certificates from trusted sources, as well as provides a strictly controlled scripting environment via content authorization store.
This will ensure that only scripts from trusted sources have access to HCP automation objects. It provides the ability to obtain machine data through WMI, Windows Management Instrumentation, also known as Web-Based Enterprise Management providers.
It provides the ability to obtain history data on a predetermined set of the systems information for upload or script analysis. It provides a support automation framework to manage problem escalations to multiple support centers.
It could also provide a way to access the features via the new URL namespace. This will allow users to type hcp://namespace or click on an HCP link to directly access the Help and Support application.
Individual applications will be able to launch the Help and Support tool based on this, as a parameter to specify which content to display. It provides a library of HCP automation objects that will allow integration of intelligent scripts into troubleshooters.
These enhanced troubleshooters can not only walk the users through the steps, but they also have the flexibility to detect machine state and take actions on the machine to attempt to fix the problem. This slide (slide 4) is what the Help and Support interface looks like.
The Index page.
You can use common queries in the index on the left; just type it in and it’ll drop down to the closest match. Or you can search in the upper-right corner for a specific string, phrase, or subject.
Help and Support includes some diagnostic tools as well. MSInfo32 is now part of the Help and Support center. And new to Millennium is Network Diagnostics. This is what the system information interface looks like in Millennium (slide 7). It’s pretty much what you’re used to seeing, except it’s wrapped inside the new UI for Help and Support.
You have Services, Computer Information, and Modems and Network Adapters. All of these are expandable by clicking on the plus sign (+) to the left of any one item.
The Assisted support link is where the online support can be found, either from Microsoft or the specific OEM or ISV. To use Assisted Support, you will need to first log on to the Passport system. The Passport system is currently being used for one unified log on to all Microsoft.com services.
The incident management center is where you can get the status of your incidents and/or view the history of your support requests.
There’s Descriptive Title, Problem Area, Frequency of problem, and a place to enter some details. You can collect information about your machine, or choose not to. And you can Supply files requested by a support professional or that you deem pertinent to your specific incident.
This final Help and Support screen is where you can observe the status of the data collection upload and obtain a service request number.