RE: Tech Writing: The Next Generation

["Brierley, Sean" <Sean -at- Quodata -dot- Com>]

Hallo:

I asked a similar question this past week about the coming thing in
technical documentation. My boss envisions adding video, animations, and
sound. I am both scared of his vision and interested in adding a tonne of
neat experience to my resume <vbg>.

Anyway, the only answers I really got were look at AuthorIT
(www.authorit.com). On my own, I figured I ought to stop by a national
conference on the industry, like the STC's annual gig (www.stc.org) in
Orlando, this time, or the WinWriters conference in San Diego
(www.winwriters.com). Still haven't decided which . . . I really need to
know what's going to be offered at STC.

Where I am is FrameMaker. With *no* tweaks I make PDFs. I provide printed
copy and PDFs to customers. Also, with *no tweaks* I make MS HTML Help (CHM)
from the FM book, using Quadralay's WebWorks Publisher (www.quadralay.com).

Okay. Video? Sound? The problem is people expect broadcast-, CD-, DVD-
quality stuff. It's what they've been used to. And. does the really neat
Shockwave sequence really, really help communicate technically? However, I
suppose I'm game to get some real learning out of this, and am open to
finding that I am wrong, and, certainly, wouldn't mind tinkering with
Macromedia Director and Authorware (www.macromedia.com).

David, let us know what you find out. Did I help?

Sean
sean -at- quodata -dot- com

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	David Handy [SMTP:davidh -at- automsoft -dot- com]
> 
> 
> Hi all,
> What do tech-whirlers think are the ideal formats and media for 
> technical documentation? Put another way, what's your idea of 
> the perfect system for writing and delivering large documents? 
> By any chance is that system also the most up-to-date tools-wise? 
> These are broad questions, I know, but my boss has given me the 
> novel brief of writing the documentation for the next release of 
> our software product with the most up-to-date media available. 
> To quote him, he wants "the next generation of user documentation" 
> to accompany the product release. 
> 
	<SNIP>

> I did a big spend a few months back on Frame, Photoshop, 
> RoboHELP Office and FullShot so I'd rather not buy any new 
> tools unless they're really going to transform how I create 
> the docs. 
> 
> Please mail me directly as I receive the digest version of the 
> list. 
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> David Handy 
> Technical Writer 
> Automsoft International
> Dublin, Ireland
> davidh -at- automsoft -dot- com
>