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Re: Programming / scripting languages in tech-writing
Subject:Re: Programming / scripting languages in tech-writing From:David Castro <thetechwriter -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 7 May 2002 03:56:05 -0700 (PDT)
> Does anybody else on the list use a programming or scripting language in
> their work? If so, which one? And what sort of tasks do you use them for?
For the past couple of years, I've been working with JavaServer Pages (as I
have mentioned at various times on the list). The thing is, I keep getting
pulled off on stuff that my boss says is more important, like writing content!
;-)
The first thing I intend to use JSP for in our web-based online help is to
provide on-the-fly customizability. Our product works on a couple of different
mainframe/operating systems (OS/390, VSE), and with various database/file types
(Adabas, CA-DATACOM/DB, CICS VSAM, etc.). Our users can use one or more of each
of these, making it impossible to provide a static documentation set that is
tailored for each user. So, instead, when users access the documentation for
the first time, they'll be asked what OSs/DBMSs they use, and then the
documentation will show only the content that applies to them. It suddenly
shrinks the TOC and index down so that anything they click is going to apply to
them (no clicking an index entry and finding 13 matches, but all for databases
they don't use!). It'll even conditionalize links, so that the links only
appear if they are appropriate.
If you want to learn more about how *you* can use JSP to enhance your online
help, check out the web site I am developing to teach technical writers JSP, at http://jsp.davidcastro.com .
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