TECHWR-L Digest - 26 Mar 1995 to 27 Mar 1995

[Judi Brody/FASTTAX <Judi_Brody/FASTTAX -dot- FASTTAX -at- CLRGATE1 -dot- FASTTAX -dot- COM>]

There are 42 messages totalling 1321 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. STYLE: Prefaces/Introductions (6)
  2. ESL & vice versa,etc.
  3. <No subject given>
  4. Splitting up a big Word File
  5. A. PageMaker list
  6. Frame and WebMaker
  7. Finger Pad??? (2)
  8. Splitting Word Files
  9. SME (2)
 10. "Tech Writer" name (2)
 11. Very Damp in Rainy-Season [HUMOR]
 12. Bad words intentionally left in the text
 13. Pagemaker list
 14. withdrawal
 15. Organizational Structure and Technical Writers
 16. test message - please ignore
 17. Term "tech writing" (2)
 18. QUERY: Translating Windows terms
 19. SPAM is not appropriate
 20. Filenames ad nauseam
 21. Desk Jet Ink (+
 22. Intentionally Left Blank--Right!
 23. Capitalization
 24. Index checking in FrameMaker
 25. Finger Pad (Touch Pad/Glidepoint) Pointing Devices
 26. Finger Pads
 27. Copyright Stuff (Add-1)
 28. HTML, PDF, etc.
 29. You KNOW it's a slow day when ...
 30. [HUMOR] Translations
 31. Weird e-mail headings
 32. pls delete form list
 33. Okay okay -- "uncle" already !!!

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 18 Mar 1995 12:31:22 -0700
From:    Lisa Gray Larsen <lisagl -at- DTINT -dot- DTINT -dot- COM>
Subject: Re: STYLE: Prefaces/Introductions

At 9:02 AM 3/24/95, Bev Parks wrote:
>[snip]
>1. Do *you* read front matter?
>2. Do you agree with Ms. Thoma that most people *don't read*
>   prefaces or introductions?
>2. Do you use a preface and/or introduction in your documents?
>   Why or why not?

I do read prefaces and introductions, but when I write, I put that type of
info in the first chapter.
There's my two cents. Don't spend it all in one place. -Lisa

---
Lisa Gray Larsen                                         lisagl -at- dtint -dot- dtint -dot- com
Digital Technology Int.                                (801)226-2984
500 W. 1200 South, Orem UT, 84057      FAX (801) 226-8438

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 11:16:51 -0600
From:    Dan Xiong Ding <dxding -at- RS6000 -dot- CMP -dot- ILSTU -dot- EDU>
Subject: ESL & vice versa,etc.

Comments on Bill's and Sue's messages on vice versa and ESL:
I don't think vice versa will create a big problem for ESL readers if they can
read our manuals. Based on my teaching experiences in ESL, if readers are able
to read manuals, they should be able to understand some borrowed words like
vice versa, etc., i.e., etc. Also, it seems that whether ESL readers can
understand vice versa or not depends upon if the native language of the ESL
reader has the concept of vice versa, so if English has a corresponding word or
not seems less significant.
But I think Bill's suggestion is pretty good. That is, we should use a couple
of sentences in lieu of a term to avoid using borrowed words if we want avoid
all of them.
Dan Ding
English Department
Illinois State University
Normal, IL 61761
dxding -at- rs6000 -dot- cmp -dot- ilstu -dot- edu

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 08:59:21 PST
From:    Sue Heim <SUE -at- RIS -dot- RISINC -dot- COM>
Subject: Re: STYLE: Prefaces/Introductions

Bev Parks wanted to know:

> This leads to several questions for general discussion:
> 1. Do *you* read front matter?

Not as a general rule, although I *will* skim it to see if there is
anything I need to know in it.

> 2. Do you agree with Ms. Thoma that most people *don't read*
>    prefaces or introductions?

I don't have an opinion one way or t'other on this one... <grin>

> 2. Do you use a preface and/or introduction in your documents?
>    Why or why not?

Nope! Most of my manuals are user's guides. Chapter one provides an
overview of the product, how to install the product, and how to use
the menus and toolbars/button bars. Each chapter includes a brief
"overview" explaining what is covered in that chapter. I'm sure most
people don't read it, but I include it never-the-less (ooops! I also
include one or two lines about each chapter in the first chapter,
which is, incidentally, titled "Introduction and Installation." So,
duh! Does that count as an introduction?)

...sue
---------------------
Sue Heim
Research Information Systems
Email: Sue -at- ris -dot- risinc -dot- com

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 10:47:10 CST
From:    Vince Putman <PUTMV -at- MAIL -dot- SYNTRON -dot- COM>
Subject: <No subject given>

     To:        Sue Gallagher, StarBase Corp, Irvine CA,
                <sgallagher -at- starbasecorp -dot- com>

     Please don't shut up yet.  I need more follow-up info.  Perhaps we will
     find something to cut down the massive redundancy I fear will be required
     to do paper and online both.  Sue, my ability to filter every content
     change into multiple areas of multiple documents, is limited.  There just
     has to be some answer.

     I look forward to much more on this thread. . .

        Vince Putman in Houston   | Insults are the last weapons of those
        PutmV -at- mail -dot- syntron -dot- com    |  who have been defeated by the facts.
        713-647-7223 FAX 579-7709 |     Eschew Gratuitous Obfuscation

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 15:10:17 -0500
From:    Tammy Sudol <tammy -at- M3ISYSTEMS -dot- QC -dot- CA>
Subject: Splitting up a big Word File

This is the second time I've composed a message regarding Robert Plamondon's
reply to the large Word File thread.  The first time I counted to 10 (20,
30, ...) and decided not to send my post.

Robert and anyone else replying to this thread.  Please don't trash the Word
software.  I appreciate the fact that you may not like the product, but
there are many of us that use Word (some of us don't have a choice) and our
request for help in tackling some of the limitations is genuine.  I don't
think that the "trash the software attitude" helps.

Many of the writers on this list have offered helpful suggestions but I've
read two demeaning posts from you on the same subject.

>1. You shouldn't use Microsoft Word, because it's a piece of junk, slowing
>   you down and emperiling your data.

************************************************
Tammy Sudol
tammy -at- m3isystems -dot- qc -dot- ca
************************************************

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 26 Mar 1995 22:09:27 -0600
From:    LaVonna Funkhouser <lffunkhouser -at- HALNET -dot- COM>
Subject: A. PageMaker list

Does anyone on techwr-l know if the Internet list
for PageMaker discussions (pagemakr-l) still exists?

Thanks.

LaVonna
lffunkhouser -at- halnet -dot- com

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 11:26:52 IST
From:    Marsha Wolicki <cmawta -at- TAUX01 -dot- NSC -dot- COM>
Subject: Frame and WebMaker

I am using WebMaker to convert my Frame documents to HTML for
viewing on the Web. I would appreciate help with the following
problems:

1. Currently, WebMaker displays multipage tables as an icon with a
   question mark.

   How can I display tables that extend over several pages to work?

2. My files have a non-breaking hyphen between the chapter number and
   the page number, e.g., 3-2, 5-10. This hyphen does not appear in
   the document. Is this an unrecognized character?

3. How do I define a paragraph whose left margin is indented?

Marsha, National Semiconductor
cmawta -at- taux01 -dot- nsc -dot- com

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 09:14:54 +0100
From:    Bex <rebeccaf -at- COMPNEWS -dot- CO -dot- UK>
Subject: Re: Finger Pad???

Please would someone describe this 'mouse finger pad'.  A friend and I
spent the whole weekend trying to guess what it would look like and how
it would work but did not succeed.

----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Rebecca  Filardo, IS-Liaison, PA Data Design,              /\ /\
The Bishop's Manor, Howden, N.Humberside  DN14 7BL        / o o \
Phone: UK 01430 432480  Fax: UK 01430 432022               > ^ <      cat

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 10:21:00 +0200
From:    Edunetics <edunet -at- ZEUS -dot- DATASRV -dot- CO -dot- IL>
Subject: Splitting Word Files

Thank You
To all the wonderful people who gave their advice on how to split up big
Word Files. I have decided to do the following:

1.Use one file for the cover page, acknowledgements, trademarks, TOC, RD
fields that reference each file I want to include, and Index.

2. To insert RD fields choose Field from the Insert menu. Select RD and fill
in the path name to the file you want to include. Don't forget to use
double backslashes if you are entering the path to another directory.

3. I put each chapter or appendix into its own file. These files have
chapter based numbering so that I don't have to manually restart the
numbering for each referenced file.

So far so good.
Thanks again
Chani Sacharen
edunet -at- zeus -dot- datasrv -dot- co -dot- il

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 26 Mar 1995 23:38:15 GMT
From:    Roy Johnson <Roy -at- MANTEX -dot- DEMON -dot- CO -dot- UK>
Subject: SME

Just to put in the UK point of view for what it's worth,
the initials SME here stand for [and it's Eurospeak]

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

--
    Dr Roy Johnson      |   Roy -at- mantex -dot- demon -dot- co -dot- uk
    PO Box 100          |   Tel: +44 (0)61 432 5811
    Manchester M20 6GZ  |   Fax: +44 (0)61 443 2766

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 09:57:53 -0500
From:    Cherlyn B Paul <paulc -at- BATTELLE -dot- ORG>
Subject: "Tech Writer" name

          If I may take this thread in a slightly different
          direction...

          I started in college textbooks, before computers.  It was a
          mid-sized publisher in the midwest, and I was one of, maybe,
          16 "production editors".  Because I liked the fields, and
          because they thought it odd that a "word person" could be
          comfortable with math and science as well, I did mostly
          math, hard sciences, and technology.  I came to understand
          that this was "technical editing", as opposed to what my
          colleagues did on sociology, special ed, history, political
          science books.

          After that came four years of freelancing--when you do just
          about anything you can get paid for, and now 7+ years in a
          contract research laboratory in the midwest, where they call
          me a "Senior Technical Writer/Editor".  My colleagues and I
          in the publications department do a huge variety of stuff,
          from newsletters to journal articles, lots of research
          proposals and reports, and a little bit of what "technical
          W/E" has come to mean--software or hardware documentation.

          We have all wondered what to call ourselves.  The option
          "science writer" keeps coming up, but that seems firmly
          attached to those who have specialized in a scientific field
          and write it for an audience from educated laypeople to
          specialists.  That's not us, either.

          I personally am not looking for a change of job title;
          that's not what these meanderings are about.  But rather how
          do I announce myself professionally in a way that will
          communicate accurately what I do and don't do (very
          intentional present tense, there)???  I/we can't possibly be
          the only ones!  How do others do this?

          Thanks in advance,

          CBP

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 13:53:06 EST
From:    Douglas Thayer <douglas_thayer -at- SMTPLINK -dot- SYSCOM -dot- COM -dot- TW>
Subject: Re: Very Damp in Rainy-Season [HUMOR]

     Let us remember that when we are on the 'net, "We aren't in Kansas
     anymore, Toto." What may be funny in one place ain't necessarily so
     elsewhere.

     [Apologies to friends & relatives in Kansas. But hey, I was born in Wichita
     myself.]

     Douglas Thayer, a "Big Nose" on Taiwan
     <douglas_thayer -at- smtplink -dot- syscom -dot- com -dot- tw>

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Very Damp in Rainy-Season [HUMOR]
Author:  Ellen Adams <ellena -at- TOLSTOY -dot- SC -dot- TI -dot- COM> at smtplink-syscom
Date:    3/25/95 12:08 PM

To: TECHWR-L -at- VM1 -dot- ucc -dot- okstate -dot- edu

Hi Tech Writers.

I got this from from Travis, or should I say: travis -at- netrix -dot- com -dot- 

In rec.humor.funny, he passed along some excerpts from a Manual for
the "Lucky Enlarger", a photo enlarger manufactured sometime in the early
1950's in Japan. It's a good example of unsuccessful documentation.

Ellen Adams
ellena -at- tolstoy -dot- sc -dot- ti -dot- com
Texas Instruments
Houston, TX

------------------------------

Date:    Thu, 23 Mar 1995 16:09:43 GMT
From:    Gwen Barnes <gwen -dot- barnes -at- MUSTANG -dot- COM>
Subject: Re: Bad words intentionally left in the text

->      Coleen MacKay wrote <<One of the typesetters had the habit of
->      inserting a very bad word into a document when he took a break,
->      could find his place when he returned.Yes, you guessed it, one d

->      Thompson's
->    Pen is a Sword
->
-> Unfortunately, there wasn't room above the story to run the headline,
-> was set in type, some of the extra space was removed from the second
-> you guessed it. Most of the "extra space" was taken from between the

Back in the 1970s, the "Albertan", the morning daily newspaper in
Calgary, Alberta, was the victim of an evening of domestic discord
between a Linotype operator and his wife, a proofreader. He was cussing
her out in type, she was pulling the offending slugs from the galley
and writing insults on the proofs. She finally had enough, and left in
a 12 point boldface slug that found its way to the top of the lead-in
story on page 1 ... which said (and I timidly expurgate)

                           F**K YOU CHARLIE

The entire first edition and about half of the second edition were
printed and on trucks bound for the outside world before one of the
pressmen noticed. He got to utter the magic phrase "STOP THE PRESS",
probably for the first and only time of his career. And the 100
year old presses stopped. It was at least a day before the machinists
got them running again, and in the meantime Albertan staff were chasing
delivery trucks all over town and picking up newspapers off doorsteps.
They were too late to stop several bundles that were shipped by air to
other newspapers across the country, though...

They told the public that the presses broke down (true enough, but they
didn't inflict the public with the *reason* for the breakdown).
Newspaper people across Canada know the real reason. Just about
everyone on shift except for the pressman who stopped the run got
fired. The few remaining copies of that day's edition are ... valuable.

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 16:12:00 CDT
From:    "Hiatt, Michel" <MHIATT -dot- INT-MAIL -at- SMTP -dot- INTECOM -dot- COM>
Subject: Re: Finger Pad???

Please would someone describe this 'mouse finger pad'.  A friend and I
spent the whole weekend trying to guess what it would look like and how
it would work but did not succeed.

----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
-----
Rebecca  Filardo, IS-Liaison, PA Data Design,              /\ /\
The Bishop's Manor, Howden, N.Humberside  DN14 7BL        / o o \
Phone: UK 01430 432480  Fax: UK 01430 432022               > ^ <      cat


A mouse finger pad is a touch sensitive cursor control device that is
used in place of a mouse or trackball.  It uses the mouse port on your PC
and you move the cursor around the screen by placing your index finger on
the pad and moving your finger instead of rolling a mouse or trackball
around.  It has buttons just like a mouse or trackball for clicking on
icons etc.  I've seen several people use them with notebook computers and
they really are quite interesting.

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 13:50:35 -0800
From:    Jan Boomsliter <boom -at- CADENCE -dot- COM>
Subject: Re: SME

Thanks.

What do you call your subject-matter experts?

jb
============================
 Just to put in the UK point of view for what it's worth,
 the initials SME here stand for [and it's Eurospeak]

 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

 --
     Dr Roy Johnson      |   Roy -at- mantex -dot- demon -dot- co -dot- uk
     PO Box 100          |   Tel: +44 (0)61 432 5811
     Manchester M20 6GZ  |   Fax: +44 (0)61 443 2766

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 14:54:11 -0600
From:    Chris Tarski <CTARSK -at- MEDNET -dot- SWMED -dot- EDU>
Subject: Pagemaker list

>Does anyone on techwr-l know if the Internet list for PageMaker
>discussions (pagemakr-l) still exists?

LaVonna,

Yes, the list is alive and well.  I receive wonderful info.  To subscribe,
send a subscribe message to either:

LISTSERV -at- INDYCMS -dot- BITNET  or  LISTSERV -at- INDYCMS -dot- IUPUI -dot- EDU -dot- 

Christine Tarski
ctarsk -at- mednet -dot- swmed -dot- edu

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 15:25:56 CST
From:    JWELBORN <gww09154 -at- ACUVAX -dot- ACU -dot- EDU>
Subject: withdrawal

Please remove me from your list serve.  thank you Jerry Welborn

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 14:21:01 CST6CDT
From:    Robbie Rupel <ROBBIE -at- NENE2 -dot- CMS-STL -dot- COM>
Subject: Organizational Structure and Technical Writers

Hello!

(I am a new subcriber to TECHWR-L, so I apologize in advance if you have
recently discussed this topic.)

I currently work for a company with a small writing department. The
company is re-engineering (I hate that word!), and I am creating a
proposal defining  where the technical writers will fit in to the new
 organization.

I am looking for opinions on where a technical writer or
writing department best fits into an organization. Specifically, is
it best for a technical writer  to

     report to a documentation department and be assigned to the
     team(s) in which they will work?

     report directly to the team in which they will
     work?

Does one method produce better documentation? Does one method provide
a better career path for the technical writer? Are there other
organizational methods I have not considered?

I have worked under both systems, so I know of some of the pros and
cons of each. I want to know what other technical writers have
experienced and think about this topic.

Thanks you in advance for your help.
Robbie Rupel
Senior Technical Writer
Computerized Medical Systems, Inc.
robbie -at- cms-stl -dot- com

------------------------------

Date:    Tue, 28 Mar 1995 08:57:36 EST
From:    Gail Hodgson <gail -at- HPATO -dot- AUS -dot- HP -dot- COM>
Subject: test message - please ignore

test message - please ignore

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 14:48:12 MST
From:    Beverly Parks <bparks -at- HUACHUCA-EMH1 -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL>
Subject: Re: STYLE: Prefaces/Introductions

Bev Parks wanted to know:

  2. Do you use a preface and/or introduction in your documents?
     Why or why not?

And Sue Heim responded:

  Nope! Most of my manuals are user's guides. Chapter one provides an
  overview of the product, how to install the product, and how to use
  the menus and toolbars/button bars. Each chapter includes a brief
  "overview" explaining what is covered in that chapter. I'm sure most
  people don't read it, but I include it never-the-less (ooops! I also
  include one or two lines about each chapter in the first chapter,
  which is, incidentally, titled "Introduction and Installation." So,
  duh! Does that count as an introduction?)
===================
You're using just the method Ms. Thoma says that she uses (puts
the intro info in first chapter).

Bev

    =*=  Beverly Parks =*= bparks -at- huachuca-emh1 -dot- army -dot- mil  =*=
   =*=  "Unless otherwise stated, all comments are my own. =*=
    =*=   I am not representing my employer in any way."  =*=

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 15:06:07 MDT
From:    Barb Miller <millerb -at- TCPLINK -dot- NREL -dot- GOV>
Subject: Re: "Tech Writer" name

     Cherlyn Paul asks:

     ". . . how do I announce myself professionally in a way that will
     communicate accurately what I do and don't do (very intentional
     present tense, there)???  I/we can't possibly be the only ones!  How
     do others do this?

     Well, after being a Technical Communicator for years and years, I am
     now a Communications Specialist. We also have staff called Science
     Writers, but the duties aren't that much different than us
     specialists. It's an issue we've struggled with.

     Doesn't help much, does it.

     Barb Miller
     National Renewable Energy Laboratory
     millerb -at- tcplink -dot- nrel -dot- gov

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 10:50:22 +0100
From:    Bex <rebeccaf -at- COMPNEWS -dot- CO -dot- UK>
Subject: Re: Term "tech writing"

On Sat, 25 Mar 1995, Matthew Schenker wrote:

> I hate the term "technical writing."  I always use the term "professional
> writing," not because it really matters to me, but because people hear the
> term "technical writing" and they think it's all about:

> Put screw (1) into hole (2).
> Place bracket (12) over holes (2) and tighten screw (2 and 3)

> When it's much more creative than that.
> Matt Schenker

I envy you!  Most people I've spoken to simply do not have a clue, and I
mean, NOT A CLUE.  It seems that some think it's a kind of journalism and
others think it has something to do with sci-fi novels.  I've also met
secretaries who said "Oh yes, I used to do that as part of my last
secretarial job."

----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Rebecca  Filardo, IS-Liaison, PA Data Design,              /\ /\
The Bishop's Manor, Howden, N.Humberside  DN14 7BL        / o o \
Phone: UK 01430 432480  Fax: UK 01430 432022               > ^ <      cat

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 11:28:09 IST
From:    Mark Levinson <mark -at- SD -dot- CO -dot- IL>
Subject: QUERY: Translating Windows terms

Did someone here mention that Microsoft's glossary of Windows terms
in various languages is available electronically?

__________________________________________________________________________
||- Mark L. Levinson, mark -at- sd -dot- co -dot- il -- Box 5780, 46157 Herzlia, Israel -||
||                      - Death to fanatics! -                          ||

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 07:48:07 -0600
From:    "Eric J. Ray" <ejray -at- OKWAY -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU>
Subject: SPAM is not appropriate

     Gang,
     Discussions of SPAM are not, as far as I can tell,
     technical communication related. Back to the topic,
     please.

     Again, the system administrators here are getting
     pretty unhappy with the system problems caused by THIS
     LIST. Adding unnecessary or irrelevant messages does
     not help. Putting it in different terms, our IBM 3090
     mainframe spent fully two hours sending out the eight
     SPAM messages I saw this morning. That would be,
     conservatively speaking, 10,000 individual E-mail
     messages devoted to SPAM, in addition to the additional
     length of the digests.

     Do not send responses to this message back to the
     list--send them to me personally.

     Eric
     ejray -at- okway -dot- okstate -dot- edu
     TECHWR-L Listowner

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 09:13:08 EST
From:    Melissa Hunter-Kilmer <mhunterk -at- BNA -dot- COM>
Subject: Filenames ad nauseam

   On Sat, 25 Mar 1995, Bev Parks <bparks -at- HUACHUCA-EMH1 -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL> wrote:

 <snip>
> For file names, many people brought up the fact that UNIX is
> case sensitive, thus FILE.TXT, File.txt, FiLe.txt,
> ad nauseum, would all be different files.

   1.  Bev makes a very valid point about capitalizing filenames.  I don't
   know why people on this list are still discussing putting filenames in
   caps, small caps, or initial caps when that practice won't work for all
   types of filenames.  UNIX is here to stay and is making inroads all over
   the place.  Seems to me that we have to figure out a way to write
   filenames that will work for all operating systems.

   Now, before I begin my second topic, I'd like to say that I don't know
   Bev, but I have great respect for her.  Most of her posts seem right on
   target to me and are also delightfully well written.  So I'm not singling
   out Bev.  I just felt that it wasn't fair to cut out her name --
   especially since my first point agrees with her argument.

   2.  I try really hard not to correct people's spelling on the list.  Most
   misspellings are just slips of the finger anyway, so it's obnoxious to
   correct them.  However, when the same misspelling occurs on the list twice
   in a week, and it looks as if it could keep popping up forever, I have to
   say something.

   It's "ad nauseam," not "ad nauseum."  It comes from the Latin word
   "nausea," meaning just what you think it does.

   I know, not everybody knows Latin.  But if you're going to use a phrase,
   you should spell it right.  If you misspell it in a published doc, it will
   make your company look bad.  I'm hoping that this will help those who
   didn't know that they didn't know how to spell the aforementioned phrase.

   (TIA for being a good sport, Bev!)

   //\         /\\   **************************************************
  || * \ . . / * || * Melissa Hunter-Kilmer (mhunterk -at- bna -dot- com)         *
   \\____\X/____//  * Bureau of National Affairs (NOT the government!) *
    / *  /O\  * \   * Washington, DC                                   *
    \__/  "  \__/    **************************************************

   ** BNA and I have a deal -- I don't speak for the company, and it doesn't
   speak for me. **

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 09:52:00 -0600
From:    "Arlen P. Walker" <Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- COM>
Subject: Re: STYLE: Prefaces/Introductions

      This leads to several questions for general discussion:
      1. Do *you* read front matter?

Occasionally. Typically not as the first step for reading the book.

      2. Do you agree with Ms. Thoma that most people *don't read*
         prefaces or introductions?

Yes.

      3. Do you use a preface and/or introduction in your documents?
         Why or why not?

Rarely. I'll never put things in a preface which are essential to the
understanding of the document. In the introduction, I *may* put things like the
typographic conventions used in the book. If I do, I'll note that in the TOC to
inform the reader that there's something worth seeing in the introduction.

Have fun,
Arlen
Chief Managing Director In Charge, Department of Redundancy Department
DNRC 124

Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- Com
----------------------------------------------
In God we trust; all others must provide data.
----------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 08:54:43 EST
From:    Harold Snyder <ENSNYDER -at- ECUVM1 -dot- BITNET>
Subject: Desk Jet Ink (+

On Wed, 22 Mar 1995, Mike Johnson wrote:

  Has anybody out there come across a good deal on HP DekJet refills...

  (snip>

<Disclaimer: What follows is merely an endorsement, not an ad>

MEI/Micro Center, a mail order outfit in Columbus, OH, offers a FREE catalog
that lists computer supplies and equipment <2X CD-ROMs for $110; DeskJet
refills for $55, color, $10, black; 3.5 in. DS/HD floppies for $0.35 in lots of
25>. Discounts of buying more than one item.

They can be reached at 1-800-634-3478 (voice).

Hope this helps some of y'all. BTW, I've seen their ads in PC Magazine for
several years now, and I'm happy with their service.

Hal

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 05:49:51 -0500
From:    "Chas. Bosdet" <WLFTRIX -at- AOL -dot- COM>
Subject: Intentionally Left Blank--Right!

On 95-03-15, Barry_West -dot- S2K -at- INTERNET -dot- S2K -dot- COM wrote:

> As a Techwriter who started his career writing to Mil Specs, "This Page
> Intentionally Left Blank" was a device we used because the spec told us to
> (along with restricted verb lists). <snip> I have always looked upon this
as our way
> of not so subtly letting readers know that we think some of them may be
stupid.
> However, I have never [encountered] a user who [w]as ... confused
> over a blank page at the end of a chapter.

Actually, the use of these pages may be related to standard practice for
classified
government documents:  It isn't always easy to tell that you're at the end
of the chapter in documents that are page-numbered by chapter and revised
through the use of change pages .  Since the holder of a classified document
is
accountable for every single page, there's a certain comfort in knowing all
pages
are accounted for -- comfort for both the document holder and administrator.

And when it came to publishing classified material, it really helped to
*know*
that a page was blank intentionally -- not because the pasted-up text fell
onto the floor somewhere (or into someone's briefcase) during the production
process.

Once upon a time I, too, thought the "intentionally left blank" business was
silly.
Not any more.

Just my 2 cents.

Chas.

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 09:14:00 -0600
From:    "Arlen P. Walker" <Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- COM>
Subject: Re: Capitalization

      I find it utterly annoying to capitalize just the first letter of a word
      (be it a filename or not) in the middle of a sentence.  It's just bad
      grammar.

      Do you agree?????"

Look closely at this sentence, William, and you'll see I disagree. ;{>}


Have fun,
Arlen
Chief Managing Director In Charge, Department of Redundancy Department
DNRC 124

Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- Com
----------------------------------------------
In God we trust; all others must provide data.
----------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 12:35:14 CST
From:    John Gough <John_Gough -at- CCMAIL -dot- BMC -dot- COM>
Subject: Index checking in FrameMaker

Have you ever wanted to check how a particular page is indexed?  It's a
little hard to do from the standard generated index.

I like to use a per-page index to check each page's index entries, mainly
as a means of determining whether that page has proper coverage.  It's a
device I picked up from a contract indexer. It can come in especially
handy when you're doing revisions of a book that you didn't write.

The following directions describe how to set up a per-page index for a
single *file*.  You can set one up for a whole book through the usual means
of adding a generated file to a book. You'd need to delete the file from
the book file before sending the book to production.

1. Open the file.
2. Select File>Generate/Book
3. In the Generate/Book dialog:
   * Select "List of Markers" from the List: pulldown.
   * Click Generate
4. In the Set Up List of Markers Dialog:
   * add "Index" to the Include Markers of Type list
   * turn off Create Hypertext Links
     (optional--leaving them on will allow you to
     jump to a particular entry from the list)
   * click Generate

An LOM file will be created.  However, by default, it shows the entry
first, then the page number, like this:
---------------------------------------------------------
installation:planning;planning your installation 1
product selection;selecting products 3
ALTER:product description;product description:ALTER;major functions:ALTER 3
---------------------------------------------------------
It's easier to read if the page number is listed first and separated:

1. In the LOM file:
   * Select View>Reference Pages
   * Scroll to the IndexLOM paragraph tag
2. Reverse the order the tags <$markertext> and <$pagenum>
3. Insert a tab between the tags
4. To make the list more readable, I change the IndexLOM
   paragraph tag:
   BASIC:  * First 0.0, Left 0.5
           * Add a tab at 0.5
   Make the changes in both the Reference Page and the Body
   Pages
5. Regenerate the list (from the document file, not the LOM
   file!)
6. Voila.  You should see something like this:
---------------------------------------------------------
1  installation:planning;planning your installation
3  product selection;selecting products
3  ALTER:product description;product description:ALTER;major
   functions:ALTER
---------------------------------------------------------
It would be nice if the index were more in index format for readability,
but I haven't found a way to do that.  Seeing the actual Index marker text
is useful for debugging, anyway.

Have fun.
John Gough
BMC Software
Austin, TX
john_gough -at- bmc -dot- com

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 10:25:43 -0800
From:    Jan Boomsliter <boom -at- CADENCE -dot- COM>
Subject: Re: STYLE: Prefaces/Introductions

- In tech docs I use the TOC; almost never read any other junk up
front.  In other books I read everything.

- Yes, I agree that in technical docs readers want quick info and
answers, not exposition or marketing blah or paragraphs of any kind.
Here's how I rate the value of front matter:

        - vital: title page, copyright page, TOC, list of figures, list
          of tables
        - standard, but read only by us word nerds: preface
        - puffery: acknowledgements, any thank-yous

        The preface contains the reason for this doc's existence, 25 words or
        less describing the product, list of related docs, conventions used in
        the doc, and a thank-you to the readers with a request that they let you
        know how they liked and used the doc.

        When I see "where to find ..." or "about this book" garbage, I feel
        like I'm dealing with kindergartners. If the title and TOC don't tell
        them "about this book," you haven't done your job.

- Do I use them?  I use whatever the pubs dept format, style, and
standard is.  I do everything I can to influence those decisions.


Well, you asked.
jb
==============
 This leads to several questions for general discussion:
 1. Do *you* read front matter?
 2. Do you agree with Ms. Thoma that most people *don't read*
    prefaces or introductions?
 2. Do you use a preface and/or introduction in your documents?
    Why or why not?

 =*= Beverly Parks =*= bparks -at- huachuca-emh1 -dot- army -dot- mil =*=
  =*= "These opinions are mine, not my employer's." =*=
   =*=                     =*=                     =*=

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 10:25:08 -0800
From:    "Susan W. Gallagher" <sgallagher -at- STARBASECORP -dot- COM>
Subject: Re: STYLE: Prefaces/Introductions

Bev Parks wonders...

> This leads to several questions for general discussion:
> 1. Do *you* read front matter?

Yes, most of the time. More importantly, when I encounter
a typographical convention that I don't quite "get", I turn
to the front matter for clarification -- and I'm *very*
disappointed if clarification isn't there!

> 2. Do you agree with Ms. Thoma that most people *don't read*
>    prefaces or introductions?

No. And I don't think that including front matter should be
settled via any democratic process. One of the things that
we must try to accomplish is to accomodate as many different
learning styles as possible. Including front/introductory
matter does this.

I recently took an informal telephone survey of about 15
beta sites to ask them about the introductory matter in
the front of one of my manuals.
5 thought it superfluous and wanted it gone
5 didn't care
5 thought it the most important part of the book and
  would miss it if it were gone

> 2. Do you use a preface and/or introduction in your documents?
>    Why or why not?

I use a preface that includes an overview of the
information contained in the book (e.g. Chapter 1
contains installation instructions, etc.), typographical
conventions (e.g., courier bold = information to type
or information conveyed by the computer, as in messages),
and other conventions (such as mouse instructions).

I also include an introductory chapter that explains
what each section of the program does and offers
suggestions for use.

Additionally, I usually include an overview chapter that
explains each of the menu items, toolbar buttons, and other
main-window components. Often this is the chapter that I
read in other books -- and often it's all I need to read!

Sue Gallagher
StarBase Corp, Irvine CA
sgallagher -at- starbasecorp -dot- com

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 09:52:38 -0800
From:    Jan Boomsliter <boom -at- CADENCE -dot- COM>
Subject: Re: Finger Pad (Touch Pad/Glidepoint) Pointing Devices

FYI to anyone interested in this device:  Cirque will mail or fax info; call
at 800/454-3375.

PC Zone sells them, but say it has no info on them.  (!)

jb
============================
...
There are two common brands of the standalone devices out there.  One's by Alps
 and one's by Cirque.  Cirque developed the technology and licensed it to Alps,
 so naturally the Alps devices are a little more expensive in the retail market.
 Also, the Alps device comes only for either serial or PS/2 interfacs, not both.
 You can get the Cirque device, which comes with a PS/2 interface _and_ serial
 adapter, plus a mouse pad, for about $70 from PC Zone, at 800-258-2088.
...
 Bob Lord
 Contract Information Designer
 Digital Equipment Corporation
 LORD -at- CXCAD -dot- ENET -dot- DEC -dot- COM
...

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 12:36:23 -0500
From:    Randy Burleson <Randii -at- AOL -dot- COM>
Subject: Finger Pads

> For laptop applications, I think this is the best solution yet, and I bet
we
> start seeing these little guys OEM'ed to the major computer manufacturers
in the
> near future.  Highly recommended as a break for your mouse muscles.

This technology has already arrived.  Check the Macintosh Powerbooks.

(let me slide on my welding gloves, goggles, and flame-resistant keyboard
cover)

More Mac Superiority!

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 11:08:00 EST
From:    "PICKETT-HARNER, Molly" <MOP1 -at- NIORDS1 -dot- MORG -dot- EM -dot- CDC -dot- GOV>
Subject: Re: Copyright Stuff (Add-1)

Hal:
The copyright statute states, "In no case does copyright protection for an
original work of authorship extend to any idea, procedure, process, system
method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the
form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in such a
work."

Only an author's EXPRESSION of an idea is protected, not the idea itself.

Some examples:
 -works not fixed in a tangible form;
 -names, short phrases, slogans, book/movie titles, symbols/designs,
ingredient/content lists;
 -common information which contains no original authorship;
 -works produced by the fed government;
 -any <public domain> work [e.g., works published without copyright notice
(possible under the previous statute)or for which copyright has expired].


Molly Pickett-Harner
mop1 -at- niords1 -dot- em -dot- cdc -dot- gov
harner -at- access -dot- mountain -dot- net  [hm]

I have a bizillion copyright bks: these notes are abridged from _Patents,
Copyrights, and Trademarks_ Foster & Shook and _The Copyright Book_ Wm.
Strong.
 ----------


After reading about Copyright Law in various almanacs and other references,
I keep coming across the term "copyrightable works," which leads me to
conclude that some written works are not subject to the copyright laws.

Hal

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 09:51:52 -0600
From:    gina jerome <gina -at- ROARK -dot- ITG -dot- TI -dot- COM>
Subject: Re: Term "tech writing"

Matt Schenker wites:


> I hate the term "technical writing."  I always use the term "professional
> writing," not because it really matters to me, but because people hear the
> term "technical writing" and they think it's all about:

> Put screw (1) into hole (2).
> Place bracket (12) over holes (2) and tighten screw (2 and 3)

> When it's much more creative than that.



I usually say "communication specialist," or "documentation specialist/
consultant." However, occasionally someone will respond, "Oh, you're
a tech writer."  :-)

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 10:16:39 EDT
From:    Barry West <Barry_West -dot- S2K -at- S2KEXT -dot- S2K -dot- COM>
Subject: HTML, PDF, etc.

>Interleaf's coming out with a new product called Cyberleaf, which turns
>Interleaf documents into HTML hypertext, compatible with all the Web
>readers such as Mosaic.  It's in beta now, and is supposed to be pretty
>good.  By using the Internet hypertext format, they benefit from the
>efforts of zillions of vendors, who are all killing themselves to bring
>high-quality viewers to market for every conceivable platform.

Robert
I'm curious. How does Interleaf code its documents for Web use? I assume it
must be some sort of method of tagging, but how does that get accomplished?
Interactively? Automatically? If automatic, how does the program decide which
text is which.

For all you Microsoft Word users, Microsoft has given Microsoft Word similar
capability through the use of an HTML editor called Wordia. When you install
the editor, it becomes an integral part of Word --  just another menu option
that allows you to set up HTML documents using a Word template. It takes all
the work out of having to deal with HTML. Just select the text you want and
apply a style. If the people in your organization are already using Word and
someone knows how to set up a template, you're pretty much home free. All that
remains is to train people in the fine art of intelligent linking.

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 10:48:00 CST
From:    Dan Dornbrook <djd -at- CHICAGO -dot- SAFCO -dot- COM>
Subject: You KNOW it's a slow day when ...

I think this is MONUMENTALLY SILLY (I've played golf all of three times),
but what the hey? It looks harmless enough. Fore!
DJD
 ----------
From: Elisabet Martinez
To: Anthony Tai; Dan Dornbrook; Fabienne Jones; Jim Smith; Tom Snyder
Subject: Sorry guys, but I didn't want to get the bad luck!!!
Date: Monday, March 27, 1995 10:23AM


Did you know who in 1923 was:
1.  President of the largest steel company?
2.  President of the largest gas company?
3.  President of the New York Stock Exchange?
4.  Greatest wheat speculator?
5.  President of the Bank of International Settlement?
6.  Great Bear of Wall Street?
These men should have been considered some of the world's most successful
men.
At least they found the secret of making money.  Now more than 55 years
later, do you know what has become of these men?
1.      The President of the largest steel company, Charles Schwab, died a
pauper.
2.      The President of the largest gas company, Edward Hopson, is insane.
 (Inhaled too much fumes)
3.      The President of the N.Y.S.E., Richard Whitney, was released  from
prison to die at home.
4.      The greatest wheat speculator, Arthur Cooger, died abroad,
penniless.
5.      The President of the Bank of International Settlement shot himself.
6.      The Great Bear of Wall Street, Cosabee Rivermore, died of   suicide.
The same year, 1923, the winner of the most important golf championship,
Gene Sarazan, won the U.S. Open and PGA Tournaments.Today he is still
playing golf and is solvent.

CONCLUSION:  STOP WORRYING ABOUT BUSINESS AND START  PLAYING GOLF

This letter originated in The Netherlands, has been passed around the world
at least 20 times, bringing good luck to everyone who passed it on. The one
who
breaks the chain will have bad luck.Do not keep this letter.  Do not send
money.  Just have your wonderful, efficient cpu make five additional copies
and send it to five of your friends to whom you wish good luck.  You will
see that something good happens to you four days from now if the  chain is
not broken.  This is not a joke.  You will receive good luck in four days.

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 11:57:23 EST
From:    Joyce Flaherty <flahertj -at- SMTPGW -dot- LIEBERT -dot- COM>
Subject: [HUMOR] Translations

Enjoy, joyce


______________________________ Forward Header __________________________________
Subject: Poor English Translations
Date:    3/22/95 9:36 AM


Poor English Translations

In a Tokyo Hotel:
     "Is forbidden to steal hotel towels please.  If you are not a
     person to do such thing is please not to read notis."

In a Bucharest hotel lobby:
     "The lift is being fixed for the next day.  During that time
     we regret that you will be unbearable."

In a Leipzig elevator:
     "Do not enter the lift backwards, and only when lit up."

In a Belgrade hotel elevator:
     "To more the cabin, push button for wishing floor.  If the
     cabin should enter more persons, each one should press a
     number of wishing floor.  Driving is then going alphabetically
     by national order."

In a Paris hotel elevator:
     "Please leave your values at the front desk."

In a hotel in Athens:
     "Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the
     hours of 9 and 11 A.M. daily."

In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox
monastery:
     "You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian
     and Soviet composers, artists, and writers are buried daily
     except Thursday."

In an Austrian hotel catering to skiers:
     "Not to perambulate the corridors in the hours of repose in
     the boots of ascension."

On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:
     "Our wines leave you nothing to hope for."

On the menu of a Polish hotel:
     "Salad a firm's own make; limpid red beet soup with cheesy
     dumplings in the form of a finger; roasted duck let loose;
     beef rashers beaten up in the country people's fashion."

Outside a Hong Kong tailor shop:
     "Ladies may have a fit upstairs."

In a Bangkok dry cleaner's:
     "Drop your trousers here for best results."

Outside a Paris dress shop:
     "Dresses for street walking."

In a Rhodes tailor shop:
     "Order your summers suit.  Because is big rush we will execute
     customers in strict rotation."

Similarly, from the Soviet Weekly:
     "There will be a Moscow Exhibition of Arts by 15,000 Soviet
     Republic painters and sculptors.  These were executed over the
     past two years."

A sign posted in Germany's Black forest:
     "It is strictly forbidden on our black forest camping site
     that people of different sex, for instance, men and women,
     live together in one tent unless they are married with each
     other for that purpose."

In a Zurich hotel:
     "Because of the impropriety of entertaining guests of the
     opposite sex in the bedroom, it is suggested that the lobby be
     used for this purpose."

In and advertisement by a Hong Kong dentist:
     "Teeth extracted by the latest Methodists."

In a Czechoslovakian tourist agency:
     "Take one of our horse-driven city tours - we guarantee no
     miscarriages."

In a Copenhagen airline ticket office:
     "We take your bags and send them in all directions."

On the door of a Moscow hotel room:
     "If this is your first visit to the USSR, you are welcome to
       it."

In a Norwegian cocktail lounge:
     "ladies are requested not to have children in the bar."

In a Budapest zoo:
     "Please do not feed the animals.  If you have any suitable
     food, give it to the guard on duty."

In the office of a Roman doctor:
     "Specialist in women and other diseases."

In a Tokyo shop:
     "Our nylons cost more than common, but you'll find they are
     best in the long run."

>From a Japanese information booklet about using a hotel air
conditioner:
     "Cooles and Heates:  If you want just condition of warm in
     your room, please control yourself."

>From a brochure of a car rental firm in Tokyo:
     "When passenger of foot heave in sight, tootle the horn.
     Trumpet him melodiously at first, but if he still obstacles
     your passage then tootle him with vigor."

Two signs from a Majorcan shop entrance:
     "- English well talking."
     "- Here speeching American."

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 18:33:54 -0500
From:    Howard Davis <HMDAVIS -at- DELPHI -dot- COM>
Subject: Weird e-mail headings

Lately, my techwr-l has come with the following header:

from: BOS::INTERNETMAIL "delayed Mail Delivery"
TO:  an assortment names including my name

Does anyone know what this means?

HMDAVIS
hmdavis -at- delphi -dot- com

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 18:53:13 -0500
From:    "Andrew Mark (andrewm -at- interport -dot- net)" <AndrewM486 -at- AOL -dot- COM>
Subject: pls delete form list

Pls delete my name for your list.

Thnks

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 27 Mar 1995 23:00:49 -0500
From:    "Chas. Bosdet" <WLFTRIX -at- AOL -dot- COM>
Subject: Okay okay -- "uncle" already !!!

IN THE LAST EPISODE ...
A friend and I had a little wager as to what Audrey C. meant by "SME" in one
of her postings.  Nothing to overwhelm the Bank of Mellon, mind; just a US$1
bet.  Whereupon Subject Matter Experts fairly *swarmed* onto Techwr-L and
even into our own humble mailbox.  (Who says tech writers don't know how to pa
rty?)

THE OUTCOME
We are SMEsmerized, of course, not only by the sheer volume of replies but by
the number of apparently destitute editorial brothers and sisters who want a
piece of the buck.  Result:

           Never in the course of human contact have so few
           owed so much to so many.
                                                                -- Wolf Trix

We'll happily share the spoils once we divine a way to carve the buck into a
thousand bytes.  Send your S.A.S.E.s early.  ;-)

-- Chas.
   Somewhat Maudlin Executor and
   Past Would-be Shaker of the World Currency Market
   BS, SME

------------------------------

End of TECHWR-L Digest - 26 Mar 1995 to 27 Mar 1995
***************************************************