RE: Collaborative tool for Readme writing

["Ole Andersen" <ora -at- dita-exchange -dot- com>]

Hi Robert,

I think the most widespread collaboration platform in the world is Microsoft SharePoint with more than 100 millions seats?

If you are using the SharePoint platform you may find it relevant to have a look at DITA Exchange. DITA Exchange is a complete end-to-end collaboration and single source content component management system that - among many other things will allow:

- all subject matter experts to write/edit XML-files in a forms-based-browser editor without know anything about XML.
- you to keep track of every change (version control) and it will allow you to revert to previous versions
- you to display two random versions in the same user interface and mark up the differences between the two versions
- you to assign meta-data on ever single content component so you will be able to see which component belongs to a specific software release, a specific market or a specific customer segment.
- you to route review and approval assignments through the built-in workflow engine
- it can be accessed from anywhere - provided you have a password and username
- it can even build the final help file by clicking a button if you want to; complete removing all the time consuming clean-up.
- and it can publish the help file as PDF or other formats simply by clicking another button (if required).

And like your own software; the only thing the user will need is IE6 or IE7.

If you are interested I can offer you to set up a private webinar at no charge.

Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

Thanks,
Ole


Best Regards
>< Content Technologies ApS
Ole Rom Andersen
Director, Co-founder
Harevej 23
DK-8660 Skanderborg
 
Mobile: +45-4044-0553
Phone: +45-3696-0899
Skype: olerom
ora -at- dita-exchange -dot- com
http://www.dita-exchange.com




-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+ora=dita-exchange -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+ora=dita-exchange -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Robert Partridge
Sent: 17. april 2008 07:49
To: techwr-l List
Subject: Collaborative tool for Readme writing

Every time we release a product we have a mad scramble to collect
information together for readmes and release notes. Emails fly
everywhere, hand written notes, everyone has an input and coordinating
the mess takes far longer than it should. 
 
I was wondering if anyone uses or knows of a collaborative system where
people can log in and make changes to a networked readme file online
using a basic editor (our files are distributed in basic .html format.
Nothing heavier than <p>, <h1-6>, <li>, and links etc.), such that the
networked copy can be grabbed at any time for the build and I don't have
to spend days sorting out the mess?
 
Anyone should be able to log in to the thing and make changes.
Changes should be tracked so we can look at earlier versions and see who
made the changes.
The file should have a static name and location so it can be retrieved
easily by our automated build process.
The editor should be easy to use and not load the file with excess
pseudo-HTML garbage.
Preferably there should be no clean-up stage to get the file into the
correct format/style.
 
Cheers,

Rob Partridge
Technical Writer

Citect
Tel +61 (0)2 9496 7514
Fax +61 (0)2 9496 7399
Mob +61 (0)403 609 007
robert -dot- partridge -at- citect -dot- com

 

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Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
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True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
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