Re: not a slam

["Diane Brennan (Write Stuff)" <a-dianeb -at- MICROSOFT -dot- COM>]

In this situation, I'd ask if there's a system in place for adding new
paragraph tags to the existing template.  For example, you could add a
paragraph tag for wide code to accommodate code that runs wider than normal.
Your production folks are probably trying to toe the line in the name of
consistency, which actually can be helpful to documentation usability.  But
since technical accuracy takes priority over adherence to templates, there
has to be some flexibility.  I've also tech writers who added special
paragraph tags to certain documents that contained information that just
didn't fit the mold, using a Z prefix.  For example, Z-CodeWide, or
something like that.  That way, the production person knew to leave the
formatting alone on that information.

> ----------
> From:         Barbara Karst-Sabin[SMTP:Phillinion -at- AOL -dot- COM]
> Reply To:     Phillinion -at- AOL -dot- COM
> Sent:         Monday, June 08, 1998 4:52 PM
> To:   TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject:      not a slam
>
> This really isn't intended to be a slam against production people, but I'm
> new
> to the kind of environment where the production people have the ultimate
> control over the form of the finished document.
>
> I've worked most of my career for the goverment where the "production"
> functions were either handled by the tech writer or the editor.  I'm
> finding
> that things like applying the proper template to a document take
> precedence
> over readability and usability.
>
> For example, in a programming doc, such as an API, it is important that an
> "if-then" in code isn't broken up.  However, minor tweaking done to
> paragraph
> tags done to avoid just that kind of thing is blithely overriden before
> the
> document is sent to the printer.  When I pointed out the problem (in an
> already published doc), I was told by the manager (a recently promoted
> production person) that the templates must be exactly the same for all
> docs,
> the "bad breaks" don't matter.
>
> Is this common practice?  Has anyone had different experience?  Or has
> anyone
> had this problem and managed to get around it?
>
> Flabbergasted (flummoxed?)
>
> BJ
>
> ~
>
>