Standards Update

["Klopfenstein, Ed (AFS)" <edk -at- ACCU-FAB -dot- COM>]

Here's a update for anyone still thinking about style guides and tech
writing.

About a month ago, I was part of a TECHW-L thread that discussed whether
creating a standard "manual of style" was a good idea. Another tech writer
and myself talked further about this and received several positive and
negative comments on the idea -- everything from "what a waste of time" to
"standards are already being developed overseas, why not the US?"

The most interesting response came from the STC, which responded to several
e-mails I sent them about creating or at least backing a style guide.

Maurice Martin, STC's communication director, said he personally thought
that creating a guide from scratch would be such a large job that it wasn't
feasible. There were just too many industries represented by our profession.
Again, that was his personal comments (which he did say were OK for me to
post).

More officially, he added the following as an FYI :

"I discussed your suggestions with my boss, STC Executive Director Bill
Stolgitis, who told me that proposals for a style guide have been tossed
around almost since the beginning of the Society (i.e, about 40 years). No
STC style guide has been produced yet. However, Bill said that he would
bring it up again at the next board of directors meeting."

Food for thought.

Ed


**********************************
Ed Klopfenstein
Senior Technical Writer
Accu-Fab Systems, Inc.

541.758.3469, ext.321
http://www.accu-fab.com
Mailto:edk -at- accu-fab -dot- com


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