TechWhirl: Technical Communications Recap for March 9, 2012

[TechWhirl Admin <admin -at- techwhirl -dot- com>]

This week’s update on technical communications and the TechWhirl community
is supported by Platinum sponsor Madcap & their Ultimate Communications
Suite, MadPak <http://goo.gl/eO3ls> | http://bit.ly/zBI0Uj



Packing for the WritersUA
conference<http://techwhirl.com/writersua-conference-software-user-asssitance/>and
dodging solar flares couldn’t keep TechWhirl from providing some
insightful, humorous and questioning content, or giving our community a
taste of all the news in technical communications this week.   We even
found time to remember that *TechWhirl turns 19 today*… We’re taking our
now fully adult status in stride as we prepare for next week’s conference.



Safe travels to everyone heading to Memphis and for the love of the ducks,
don’t forget your towel. And, please drop by our booth at the event (dinner
on Sunday #writersua, #writersua42) during the breaks.  We’d love to chat
with each and every one of you.

If you aren’t heading to the Rocky-Top State, then we look forward to your
feedback as we cover this year’s Software User Assistance Conference from
all angles.



On behalf of everyone before us (Founders Eric and Deborah Ray) and us (Al
& Connie), a very sincere thank you to everyone who has ever had a great
discussion on our email list or ever visited the website.  We sincerely
appreciate it.



*Happy Birthday to us, Happy Birthday to us, happy Technical Writers
everywhere, happy birthday to us.*



Have a great weekend.


In Case You Missed it: This Week  @ TechWhirl

*New features and articles on http://TechWhirl.com <http://techwhirl.com/>**
:*


   - WritersUA Conference for Software User Assistance Event Coverage |
   http://bit.ly/writersua12
   - Hitchhikers’ Guide to Technical Communications Conferences |
   http://bit.ly/xubZAg
   - TechWhirl Technical Communications Poll: Justifying Translation Costs|
    http://bit.ly/zLT9vs <http://bit.ly/ztoHKF>
   - The More Things Change…Technical Communications Insight from Neil
   Perlin, by Roger Renteria | http://bit.ly/yIeh3j

*Tech Comm News:*


   - Tech Writer This Week: March 8, 2012 | http://bit.ly/xubZAg
   - TechSmith Introduces Mac and Windows Versions of Snagit, Retires
   JingPro| http://bit.ly/yd5o3m
   - Flypaper Introduces Digital Signage Software for Use Within PowerPoint
   | http://bit.ly/z0gGel
   - Localization World Seattle 2012 Issues Call for Speakers|
   http://bit.ly/zbCZ2V
   - OpenText Tempo, Express Edition Offer Secure Cloud Document Sharing|
   http://bit.ly/yPXVtx

Technical Communications: What You’re Talking About

A quick *shout out* to our Technical Writers and their discussions in our email
discussion group <http://goo.gl/YUrbb>:


   - Dan Goldstein started casual Friday a bit early when he let the list
   know that “I have been waiting my entire career to use that word in a
   technical context.”  The word is defenestration. Whirlers commented on the
   history and the objects that would make good or not-so-good candidates for
   defenestrating, including Microsoft Windows, chamber pots, dictionaries,
   and bath water.
   - Joyce Fetterman was looking for a way to resolve a “Problem with Word
   2007 tables,” caused by an ancient template. Several worthwhile suggestions
   including “Maggie-ing” the document (copy everything but the last paragraph
   mark and paste into a new document) and removing all the bookmarks.  Sadly,
   the results were less than ideal, and Joyce is starting with a clean slate,
   a blank template.
   - Debbie Hemstreet has a new gig in Israel, and she’s reviewing the
   design of a marketing brochure created by a graphic artist (emphasis on the
   “artist”). She asked “Mixed capitalization for marketing brochures - what
   do you think?” and got some sensible advice from folks like Bill Swallow
   and Janice Gelb who advise a step back to look at the overall effect on
   brand, and then look at elements and consistency to avoid distractions, and
   firmly suggest changes if distractions remain.



Social Media and the Chance to Follow TechWhirl:

   - Our Google Plus Page – what’s happening behind the scenes |
   http://goo.gl/SO0R4
   - Will you be our Friend? Please, you know you want to click |
   http://goo.gl/tDrW7
   - Want all this TechWhirl goodness a few characters @ a time |
   http://goo.gl/itjDg
   - Updates from TechWhirl delivered to your email in box |
   http://bit.ly/tjshxU
   - Or, try our RSS feed (great on Flipboard) | http://goo.gl/msLzu

SPONSOR-Luv

We want to send a very special “thank you” to our sponsors for their
support.



*Platinum*: Adobe Systems
Incorporated<http://www.runaware.com/clients/adobe/techsuite/>

*Gold: *ComponentOne Software <http://bit.ly/doc-to-help>,* *Madcap
Software<http://www.madcapsoftware.com/products/flare/overview.aspx#whatsnew>
**

*Silver*: Society for Technical Communication (STC)
<http://www.stc.org/>, Vancouver
Island University <http://pr.viu.ca/techcomm/>

-- 


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