Methods, systems and mediums are provided for enabling users to obtain help information in an online help system. The online help system utilizes adaptive documents to display help messages requested by the users. The content of the adaptive documents may dynamically vary according to, for example, the user's skill level, associated software products installed on the users' system, additional information that has emerged since the users acquired the software product, e.g., the discovery of defects or the fixing of defects in the program, language of the location where the software environment is provided. The present invention may also provide a publishing system that enables authors to create the adaptive help documents used in the online help system. The present invention therefore provides a complete and efficient online help system using adaptive documents to display various help messages.