TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
> The subject line makes this sound rather grander than it actually
> is. To cut to the quick: I've added a list of books to my
> technical writing site (http://techwriting.miningco.com).
> Hoo-bloody-ray, you might say. What's different is that you can
> also purchase these books online by arrangement with Amazon.com.
>
> Please root around. If your favourite book isn't listed, tell me
> why it should be in there. P'raps you've uncovered the mother and
> father of all PageMaker books (I haven't). Conversely, if you spot
> a tome full of misleading and inaccurate rubbish, let me know.
>
> Gary Conroy
Gary, I just got a book from the Graphic Design Book Club that tech
writers might *THINK* they're interested in, but it's absolutely the
craziest, ugliest, book I've ever seen. It's "Designer's Gide to the
Internet" by Zender, Fine, and Albertson. I don't know what these
guys were smoking, but here's a few of my observations:
1) the entire book is centered in a single narrow column (full
justification, no less) with bizarre rules that bleed into the text.
2) the book is about web design but all pictures are dark, monotone
photos of web pages that are often just plain unreadable.
3) the font is a sans serif with extra spacing between the
characters.
4) the page numbers are deep inside the inside (bound side) of the
book. Makes hunting for page numbers a real treat!
5) headings are same size, font as regular text but are CENTERED in
the middle of the centered column.
I could go on and on, but I honestly thought when I opened this book
that it was some kind of crazy, sick joke. It looks like an art
student's revenge.... has anyone else seen this book? Maybe I'm the
one out of step, but it seems to me to be a perfect candidate for
what a technical book ought NOT to do! The only reason I have not
sent it back to the book club is that it's so bad it's unbelievable.
It's a collector's item. No way would I actually attempt to read it.
Jane Bergen
"my opinions are my own..."
Jane Bergen, Technical Writer
janeb -at- airmail -dot- net
AnswerSoft, Inc. Dallas, TX
TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html
