With the release of Creative Suite 4 Adobe® has taken a new (and some would say controversial) direction with Help. No longer do the applications in CS4 have their own local help files. Now when you seek help your browser is opened and you are taken to the Community Help site for that application.

There are some significant benefits to this approach. Help files are constantly updated so you always get the latest and greatest information. At the bottom of each help topic users can comment, ask questions, seek additional information. Adobe® product experts and outside moderators are there to assist you. If you search for an answer you can choose to expand to other related sites and the rest of the Adobe® site as well. All very nice and useful benefits.

So what's the controversy about? Many users are complaining about not having any local documentation. Local help files can be accessed more quickly. Local help files are available whether or not you have an Internet connection. With the present help system in CS4 what do you do when you are working on a project at 35,000 feet and have a question? Well... nothing! You'll just have to wait.

Perhaps the better approach for Adobe® would be to include local help files with a link out to the online versions. This way you could work offline and when you do have a connection expand your search to the larger online Community Help. Let's see how this develops as CS4 matures.