Re: Recommended apps to learn as a new tech writer...

Subject: Re: Recommended apps to learn as a new tech writer...
From: Lou Quillio <public -at- quillio -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2005 10:58:26 -0400


Sankara R wrote:

> But then, in the documentation space, surely XML
> is going to rule the roost. It will also help you
> understand programs and UI better, where
> increasingly XML is used to query and all that.

(Sorry for misspelling your name elsewhere, Sankara.)

Note the convergence: Inkscape's file format is SVG, which is XML.
Inkscape includes in its GUI an XML editor, meaning that you can
make illustrations with the GUI tools but also switch over to the
source SVG, if you're comfortable with that.

Re deep-pockets orgs playing it safe with their checkbooks -- thus
coloring the market for everyone else -- I continue to maintain that
open file formats will be the change agent. At the end of the day,
business needs them.

Once they're in wide adoption, things will change a bit for tech
comms. We'll be asked to create and maintain DocBook and
OpenDocument (think OOo) and SVG files, with less regard for the
tools we choose. Tool knowledge will still be important, but you
won't be able to build a career on, say, FrameMaker guru-dom.

That's as it should be. The hiring tests will be the ability to
create conforming documents and to turn them into polished output.

So you'll want to understand XML (whatever that means), and
especially XSLT, because somebody has to be able to make sense of
the source and transform it into useful end products. Heavy hitters
in our business will be able to create at the source level, with a
text editor, and some will choose to do so routinely.

In the near term it'll still be useful to have a command of the dark
arts, the ins and outs of Frame and Word and Adobe-what-have-you.
But soon enough, that won't cut it.

LQ

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Now Shipping -- WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word! Easily create online
Help. And online anything else. Redesigned interface with a new
project-based workflow. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l


---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.



Follow-Ups:

References:
Re: Recommended apps to learn as a new tech writer...: From: Sankara R

Previous by Author: Re: PC naming? Help!
Next by Author: Reference Books YOU use the most
Previous by Thread: Re: Recommended apps to learn as a new tech writer...
Next by Thread: Re: Recommended apps to learn as a new tech writer...


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads