TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Re: Implementing a single source management system painlessly
Subject:Re: Implementing a single source management system painlessly From:Bill Swallow <bill_swallow -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 10 Nov 2000 06:34:09 -0800 (PST)
--- jason -dot- davis -at- pc-doctor -dot- com wrote:
> Thank you to everyone who was thoughtfull enough to
> contribute their
> thoughts and feelings on this subject. I apologize
> if the following summary
> is too long. If this is the case, please let me know
> off list as this is my
> first posting experience.
> Bill Swallow points out the content oriented need
> for XML stating "I use
> XML for structure, not for asthetics. For that I use
> HTML and CSS. XML is
> strictly (in my case) used for content management
> and information type
> taging." He also suggest using FrameMaker+SGML and
> WebWorks Publisher
> Professional Edition as tools for implementing
> XML/SGML.
Let me respond to this a bit. XML is not a need - it's
just the technology that fits my need best. The app I
write Help for (Web publishing software for
newspapers) uses XML to tag the data uploaded by the
papers and thus display it using a set style. We
therefore thought it silly not to also use this
technology for our Help.
If the app was structured any other way, I might not
have decided to use XML at all. In fact, this is the
first time I ever really considered using it. You have
to size up your needs and do what makes sense, not do
what you think you should be doing based on what
others are saying. Hell, I've written Help from the
ground up without styles at times, because the clients
couldn't fathom using a template with Word. They
preferred to override Normal for formatting. To each
their own. But the point is, the solution worked.
Invest the time in analyzing the possibilities
thoroughly before choosing one to run with.
=====
Bill Swallow
Technical Writer
PowerAdz.com
518.687.6107
bswallow -at- poweradz -dot- com
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. All in one Place. http://shopping.yahoo.com/
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Develop HTML-based Help with Macromedia Dreamweaver! (STC Discount.)
**NEW DATE/LOCATION!** January 16-17, 2001, New York, NY. http://www.weisner.com/training/dreamweaver_help.htm or 800-646-9989.
Sponsored by SOLUTIONS, Conferences and Seminars for Communicators
Publications Management Clinic, TECH*COMM 2001 Conference, and more http://www.SolutionsEvents.com or 800-448-4230
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
