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RE: Use if xrefs in topic based or minimalist writing
Subject:RE: Use if xrefs in topic based or minimalist writing From:"Porrello, Leonard" <lporrello -at- illumina -dot- com> To:Monique Semp <monique -dot- semp -at- earthlink -dot- net>, tech2wr-l <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:28:28 +0000
I think I understand. In minimalism, I can see using xrefs in two ways: To refer to procedures that are truly discrete and as pointers at the beginnings and ends of topics (where otherwise discrete topics are part of a larger workflow). In the second instance, they xrefs would work something like the pointers and the edges of the old Thomas Guides, pointing back from where you came from (at the top) and to where you are going (at the bottom).
Two caveats: Each xref should open a new browser window (since each topic is at least theoretically independent). Tool-tips or definitions can be used liberally within topics are not the same thing as xrefs.
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+lporrello=illumina -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lporrello=illumina -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Monique Semp
Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013 1:18 PM
To: tech2wr-l
Subject: Re: Use if xrefs in topic based or minimalist writing
> Are you eliminating all xrefs?
No -- just not using xrefs wantonly.
> I'd say that's doing agile wrong. Docs are not code and writers are
chickens, not pigs. Reasonable implementation means decoupling the editorial workflow and timeline from programmers' task completion as necessary for documentation to be written in a logical fashion.
> Oh, I never said that I was participating in a "proper" agile process.
> I know full well that it's not supposed to be chaos, but in reality,
> it often is.
I don't have time at the moment for a real discussion about minimalism or Agile, but look forward to ongoing list conversations.
-Monique
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