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.
Candis said: "Sigh. Then came "desktop publishing" and my productivity
has suffered ever since."
You should be using DITA or Docbook. Authoring in XML allows you to
write without worrying about the formatting at all. Of course, there is
the small matter of writing the XSL transforms and FO, but that should
be *cough* no problem at all!
The WYSIWYG XML editors out there now make for a very Word-like
experience for non-technical people. At a conference this week I even
saw a product that actually uses Word to edit XML content.
I've been authoring in XML for two years, and not having to deal with
Word anymore is one of the major perks.
Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+cvickery=arenasolutions -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+cvickery=arenasolutions -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]
On Behalf Of Condo, Candis
Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2007 10:58 AM
To: ct; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: Current trends in Authoring Tools?
Yup. I couldn't agree more. At HP back in the dark ages, I had a
photographer, a graphics illustrator, and a production person who laid
out the whole book.
Guess what I did: WROTE the material. Yes, indeed, imagine that. I owned
the whole process but I WROTE the material.
Sigh. Then came "desktop publishing" and my productivity has suffered
ever since.
Candis Condo
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+ccondo=c-cor -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+ccondo=c-cor -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf
Of ct
Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2007 10:48 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Current trends in Authoring Tools?
AMEN!
On 2/8/07, Gene Kim-Eng <techwr -at- genek -dot- com> wrote:
> As far as the product research and writing aspect of my work
> is concerned, I have NEVER been as productive with ANY
> authoring tool as I was during the days when I hand-wrote my
> document manuscripts with a #2 pencil and then sent the sheets
> over to a team of production specialists.
>
> Gene Kim-Eng
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kevin Amery" <kevindamery -at- gmail -dot- com>
>
> > The tools don't make you a writer, or a better writer--but they do
let
> > you spend more time on things like structure, logic flow, and
> > expression and less time on raw data entry. Yes, we could do our
jobs
> > with a pen if necessary, but we wouldn't be nearly as productive.
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats
or
> printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team
authoring,
> Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
>
> Now shipping: Help & Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
> full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
> to 106 languages with Help & Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com
>
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as
straylightsghost -at- gmail -dot- com -dot-
>
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/straylightsghost%40gm
ail.com
>
>
> To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>
> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
>http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
>
>
--
"Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human
soul in this world--and never will."
Mark Twain
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats
or
printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team
authoring,
Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
Now shipping: Help & Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
to 106 languages with Help & Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as ccondo -at- c-cor -dot- com -dot-
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats
or
printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team
authoring,
Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
Now shipping: Help & Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
to 106 languages with Help & Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as cvickery -at- arenasolutions -dot- com -dot-
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team authoring,
Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
Now shipping: Help & Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
to 106 languages with Help & Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- infoinfocus -dot- com -dot-
