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Subject:Re: alternative to numbering? From:Bill Burns <BillDB -at- ILE -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 5 Aug 1999 12:20:22 -0600
Joanne Grey wrote:
> > We are producing two rather large docs (about 700 pages each)
> > that will
> > be translated into multiple languages. because of this,
> > management wants
> > to move to a numbered heading system - like the military, where the
> > Heading 1 is "Section 1", heading 2s are "Section 1.1" heading threes
> > are "Section 1.1.1" and so on.
>
And LH responded:
> Why? So the sections in the translated manuals parse to the sections in
> the
> non-translated manuals? Is there a non-internal need for this? I can see
> where it would be a valuable thing for the translators and writers, but I
> don't understand the user benefit of a numbered heading system for
> translated manuals.
>
I guess I'm sort of wondering how a translator would benefit from this, as
well as what the user would gain. If it's a large document set, the
localization/translation vendor may very well have multiple translators per
language. I've never really heard of this method of organization as a
localization strategy. There are many other issues to consider that are more
important.
Joanne, could you elaborate on the rationale behind this strategy?
> > The doc manager would like to avoid this for aesthetic reasons. Has
> > anyone used an effective alternative.
>
Continuous pagination between the two volumes and a master index and TOC?
Separate pagination for each chapter? I guess I'm still trying to understand
the impetus behind management's decision.
Bill Burns - Eccentric Technology Consultant
International Communications Design & Development
billdb -at- ile -dot- com
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