Re: Microsoft Manual of Style vs. github.com/MicrosoftDocs/microsoft-style-guide

Subject: Re: Microsoft Manual of Style vs. github.com/MicrosoftDocs/microsoft-style-guide
From: Lauren <lauren -at- writeco -dot- net>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2018 11:34:46 -0700

They say they have always used GitHub but now they are using it for feedback and issues. You can't just go in to GitHub and write or edit for Microsoft. Whether comments are posted on Git or sent through email, all the public can do is comment. They are trying to attract millennials.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/teamblog/a-new-feedback-system-is-coming-to-docs


On 8/16/2018 11:12 AM, Tony Chung wrote:

I think what we need to take away is that this manual is a public project
on github, which opens up all opportunities for branching, pull requests,
and even forking of the same documentation project. I don't know if MS
intended for such decentralization, but that's what they've opened
themselves up to. They might have purchased github as a way to centralize
their source, but git as a source control lends itself to decentralization.

The fact MicrosoftDocs is the project owner of multiple repositories shows
that there is some attempt for developers to add documentation at the same
time as they are building features. And they are probably looking for
git-savvy tech writers to submit pull requests to improve their docs. If I
were a techcom student, between contracts, or passionate about some of the
technology I might check with the project owners if they would accept pull
requests from the outside.

To date, the most successful attempt at documentation-by-community that
I've heard about is FlossManuals: http://en.flossmanuals.net/

Seeing that the Microsoft Writing Style Guide is in need of editorial
support, if you've got the interest and/or time, it couldn't hurt to take
up git.

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Follow-Ups:

References:
Microsoft Manual of Style vs. github.com/MicrosoftDocs/microsoft-style-guide: From: Robert Lauriston
Re: Microsoft Manual of Style vs. github.com/MicrosoftDocs/microsoft-style-guide: From: Lauren

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