>Remember that HTML help is new and evolviong. Go back and look at the first versions of WinHelp. You'll find limitations there...and things that people didn't like about them. As for how users do things, after waiting for the help file to load the first few times, they'll learn to keep it open. Microsoft is also working on a way to distribute HTML help without having to install IE 4.0. There are help authoring systems available for HTML help that makes it as easy as WinHelp.

I think you can do that now - there's some special distribution kit you can download that really installs teh browser, but doesn't say so <s>...

FWIW, I think this point is going to be a non-issue soon. HTML Help shipped
with Win98 and IE 3 and later and will ship with NT 5...

Sure it's a memory hog if you don't otherwise use a browser in your apps.
If you do however the overhead is minimal.