Re: Never Had to Index

[Stuart Burnfield <slb -at- FS -dot- COM -dot- AU>]

> ". . .never once have I had to create an index.  I have a feeling,
> however, that my luck is about to change."

> ". . .I HATE indexing more than any other task required of tech writers"

> ". . .if our users knew how much I hate to index, they would never
> expect to find one in our manuals."

Is it really that bad? A professional indexer is the best solution, but
so many of us aren't able to use one.

Is the problem that you see indexing as a separate task from TW, a
necessary but annoying task that has to be knocked off at the end of
the project? That sounds like the attitude to documentation in too
many unenlightened companies.

Using language and terms appropriate for the audience; organising material
to help readers find information; the skills needed for indexing and for
good TW are so similar.

Sue said:
> Worked my buns off, submitted my *best* index to Lori Lathrop at a
> seminar. Lori said, "good start, Sue"! <hrmuph>

I have this recurring nightmare where I die, and instead of St Peter at
the Pearly Gates, it's Lori Lathrop, and she's flicking through one of
my indexes. . . aaiiiieeeeeeee!!!!

Regards
---
Stuart Burnfield                What the famous philosophers said about
Voice: +61 9 328 8288           Stuart Burnfield
PO Box 192 Leederville          "...nasty, brutish and short"
Western Australia 6903                                  Hobbes, "Leviathan"