The Golden 80s

Geoff Hart rips apart the myths in technial writing. Great post.

Technical writers all over the world are debating on how new approaches and processes can dramatically improve the quality of the documentation produced. A few suggest that Usability testing, even with limited resources, can add value to the documentation you produce. Other suggest moving documentation to the Web 2.0 model for ease of use and adopting agile documentation. There are people who cite Google's example of comic documentation when they released their new browser, the Chrome. Daniel Brolund suggests User Guide driven documentation where a snippet of the user guide describing a new feature is prepared. This is an interesting idea in that the techncial writers get a chance to become involved in the documentation process at the initial stages of software development itself. Click here to read Daniel's post.

Google while unleashing its new browser Chrome, has created another great stuff. It's a comic book about the browse. Check it out at http://blogoscoped.com/google-chrome/2

I was left wondering with this question as I read the following articles: Finding the name behind the gmail address A Question of Programming Ethics

Cloud computing is nothing but utilizing supercomputer power to perform complicated tasks over the Internet. (I understood this much thanks to Business Week . The article says “Cloud computing aims to apply that kind of power—measured in the tens of trillions of computations per second—to problems like analyzing risk in financial portfolios, delivering personalized medical information, even powering immersive computer games, in a way that users can tap through the Web. It does that by networking large groups of servers that often use low-cost consumer PC technology, with specialized connections to spread data-processing chores across them.” Express Computer throws more light by saying that “The key feature of cloud computing is that both the software and the information held in it live on centrally located servers rather than on a end-user’s computer.” “…The architecture behind cloud computing is a massive network of ‘cloud servers’ interconnected as if in a grid running in parallel, ...

Like the greatest practitioner of the art, Thomas Mann, Daniel Kehlmann is a master of irony, deftly subverting the expectations of the reader, writes Daniel Johnson about Kehlman's novel Measuring the World. Read the article in The Telegraph .

While reading an STC newsletter, I found that folks at Oracle use a tool called Qarbon ViewletBuilder. This was a piece of news for me. After a bit of browsing, I found that the tool can be used to create online presentations, demos, and e-learning modules. Callouts, notes, and audio content can also be added to online presentations created with this tool. My favourite tech blog Labnol (http://labnol.blogspot.com/2005/06/qarbon-viewletbuilder-imagine-power-of.html) says that technical writers untrained in Macromedia Flash authoring environment will find this tool very easy to create Flash presentations. With the ViewletBuilder, all you have to do is to simply move the cursor over the screen captured. The Flash tutorials or simulations created with this tool can be easily previewed. The tool enables your presentations and demos to reach a wider audience than before. ViewletBuilder works only with Windows and Linux.

Adobe FrameMaker – Adobe FrameMaker 8 software is a powerful authoring and publishing solution for technical communicators and an essential upgrade for existing FrameMaker users who want to author and publish technical documentation in multiple languages, says Adobe. It supports Unicode, rich media, DITA and single sourcing. RoboHelp - The most sought after Help authoring tool (HAT). RoboHelp 7 now supports Unicode, translational workflow, importing Word files, importing FrameMaker files and styles, user defined variables, and powerful collaboration. Microsoft Word – Needs no explanation. Unstable for big documents. Interleaf – Competitor of FrameMaker. Wikipedia says Interleaf provides an integrated set of tools for creating compound documents: word processing, graphics, data-driven business charts, tables, equations, image editing, automated page layout, book building-- including automatic index and table of contents, and conditional document assembly. Arbortext - XML-based publi...

Many people think that proofreading is just another word for editing. Some believe that it can be classified as another type of editing. They will argue that both essentially mean the same. It is unfortunate to see people from the publishing as well as the media industry holding the same opinion about the topic. The only answer to the controversy is to put the facts straight. The word “proof” in printing means a kind of a test sheet or draft that is checked for text and graphics and colors before going to the press or publishing. This proof is created after all the editing has been completed. The proof created is also checked for grammar, punctuation, and corrections are marked with standard proofreading marks. This “proof reading” can be termed as the last stage of the editing process. It is never a part of the actual editing process or copy editing. Editing, on the other hand, starts the moment you receive the first draft or manuscript. If it is a document, it is checked for the cont...

Machine Languages -The language of the CPU (The central processing unit of the computer, which does the "thinking"). The lowest level language, this is composed of 0's and 1's. Assembly Languages -Abbreviations for machine language High-Level Languages -Use program statements, words and algebra-type expressions. Developed in the 50's and 60's. After a program is written in one of the high-level languages, it must be either compiled or interpreted. A compiler program rewrites the program into language that the CPU can understand. A compiled program is generally considerably larger than the original. An interpreter program translates the program statements into machine language one line at a time when the program runs. An interpreted program will be smaller than a compiled one, but will take longer to execute. Fourth Generation Language (4GL)-Very high-level language. These are results oriented and include database query languages. There are fewer options for ...

This list does not explain common idioms. Face the axe An axe to grind Achilles heel Apple of somebody’s eye – A person or thing that is loved more than others. Apple-pie (order) To make amends Up in arms – Ready to fight Back to back – In succession On the back burner Bad blood between (A) and (B) Blood and thunder – Violent and melodramatic acting in films… Blood, sweat and tears – Extremely hard work Draw blood Bank on something/somebody – Rely on Bear the brunt of – Bear fruit – to bring out a result, usually a successful one Bear on sb/something- Beat Tighten one’s belt 20. Tighten up on sth-to become more careful or strict 21. Walk a tightrope – 22. Blow one’s own trumpet – 23. To break the ice – 24. To bury the hatchet 25. To build castles in the air – 26. To take the bull by the horns – 27. Burn one’s fingers - 28. Cheek by jowl 29. Cock-and-bull story 30. To shed crocodile tears 31. To cry wolf 32. Cut short 33. Cut out for 34. Daggers drawn – Strained relations 35. Dead lette...

For answers, please click here .

Today, I had an interesting discussion with my colleague about the use of comma to separate adjectives. Finally, we decided to search the Internet for answers. This is what we got: ""When a noun is preceded by two or more adjectives that could, without affecting the meaning, be joined by and, the adjectives are normally separated by commas. But if the noun and the adjective immediately preceding it are conceived as a unit, such as little girl,' 'political science,' or 'glass ceiling,' no comma should be used." (The Chicago Manual of Style). That settled everything.

The term "specific absorption rate" is not from Physics or Chemistry. FCC defines it as the "amount of radio frequency energy absorbed by the body when using a mobile phone." Got it? CNET has reviewed the SARs of all the leading mobile phone manufacturers and has presented a list of top 10 phones with the least SARs. Check it out.

Should the first letter after a colon be capitalized or not? Is it an American usage or British usage? LanguageLog replies to the accusation that the American usage is wrong by quoting examples.

Find out the answer to the question here.

Check this Wordpress link

Check this link http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2006/04/12/slow_computer_speed_up_your.htm to speed up the PC. http://www.microsoft.com/atwork/getstarted/speed.mspx http://www.speedupyourcomputer.windowsreinstall.com/index.htm http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/article/registry_cleaner_why.htm

power trip (n) Slang - An action undertaken chiefly for the gratification associated with the exercise of power over another or others. Grok: verb (used with object) 1. to understand thoroughly and intuitively. –verb (used without object) 2. to communicate sympathetically.( Dictionary.com ) deracination (n) deracinate (v): Uprooted, alienated from the native culture or environemnt. Along with Afghan-American Khaled Hosseini, the Haiti-born Edwidge Danticat and Junot Diaz from the Dominican Republic, Lahiri swells a tide of new fictional voices: immigrants, who write about displacement and deracination . ( The Independent ) Doodad: Ornamemtal attachment. Tours have become a way to market the artist as a brand, with the fan clubs, limited-edition doodads , and other profitable products and services that come with the territory. To bandy words: A phrase meaning to argue persistently. Silver bullet (phrase): Direct and effortless solution to a problem. garboil (noun): Confusion; turmoil....

The noun diagram is also a transitive verb. Check Merriam Webster .

Techncial writers, please read this post. I am of the opinion that users don't read 90 percent of the help files and user guides. Any comments?

Indian techies snubbing US jobs to stay home, says ZDNET .

Ten Tips for Effective Editing Tips and tricks for checking grammar and spelling in Microsoft Word Mistakes your word processor won't catch Comma vs semicolon exercises

If you are using Windows XP, try these steps: 1. Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties. 2. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab. 3. In the Performance pane, click Settings. 4. In the Performance Options dialog box, click the Advanced tab. 5. In the Virtual memory pane, click Change. 6. Change the Initial size value and the Maximum size value to a higher value, click Set, and then click OK. 7. Click OK to close the Performance Options dialog box, and then click OK to close the System Properties dialog box. This is besides emptying the cookies, temporary files, and a system cleanup.

The word send-up is also used to mean parody. It also means a literary or musical work in which the style of an author or work is closely imitated for comic effect or in ridicule. It also means a feeble or ridiculous imitation. Related word is take off. Webster says "an imitation especially in the way of caricature."

Creative Docs .NET is a versatile vector drawing software on the lines of Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw - the software is completely free for non-commercial use and also supports Windows Vista. Click for more

"a substantial number got into the field without having a clear picture about the job they were supposed to do," said a survery conducted several years back. I liked this particular observation because nothing much has changed for the better. Most of the product-based Indian companies do not have a proper technical documentation team. They are also unaware of the importance of technical documentation in marketing their products. Companies do not have guidelines or styles developed to suit their needs. In the absence of credible data on how many Indian technical writers are writing technical documents from scratch and by testing software, it cannot be said that technical writing has arrived in India. Except for a few private training institutes, who make money in the name of training wannabe technical writers, techncial writing is not yet a lucrative profession in India. When compared to the youngsters joining the media, the standard of English demonstrated by young technical...

Check out the buzzwords of 2007 selected by The New York Times .