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> For example, I'm learning about XSLT in an attempt to better
> understand how
> data contained in XML containers can be most effectively
> repurposed across a
> variety of formats. Is that among the right answers? It may be, but I'd
> enjoy hearing your thoughts about what technical skills define a "cutting
> edge" technical writer.
Two points.
First, it is not clear that XML and XSLT constitute the cutting edge of
technical communication tools. XML, as a rehash of SGML, is at least as old
as DTP. Markup technologies in general are far older. And there is no clear
indication as yet of a significant move to markup from DTP to XML in the
technical communication community. (I will be discussing this in my
presentation "What Makes an Authoring/Publishing Technology Tip?" at JoAnn
Hackos Best Practices Conference next week. http://www.infomanagementcenter.com/BestPractices/2003/program.htm#baker)
Second, even if we do see a move to markup from DTP, it is unlikely that
XSLT will become an appropriate skill for a technical writer. DTP technology
had the effect of making the writer take change of the entire publishing
process, from research and writing to formatting, layout, and camera ready
copy. This was a major change from previous approaches, in which these were
separate tasks assigned to different professionals.
It is likely that in shops that move to markup technology, as in most shops
that use markup today, the writers themselves will not be involved in text
programming chores, or in design or layout of pages, or any part of the
prepress process. These will be handled by separate professionals. Writers
will simply do research and writing, just as they did before the whole DTP
catastrophe began.
Which is to say that the tools most important to technical writers will once
again be the ones they are hired to document, which is as it should be.
---
Mark Baker
Stilo Corporation
1900 City Park Drive, Suite 504 , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1J 1A3
Phone: 613-745-4242, Fax: 613-745-5560
Email mbaker -at- ca -dot- stilo -dot- com
Web: http://www.stilo.com
This message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the
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information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, copying, or
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recipient please contact the sender by reply email and destroy
all copies of the original message and any attachments.
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---
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