Technical Writing Services

Lately, I have been pondering the issue of version control (also known, according to Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revision_control>, as revision control, source control or software configeration management) of documents. It’s of particular concern when many people are working on the same document with time wasted when someone spends time and effort commenting on an outdated version.

Consistent naming by all those working on the document can help, for example naming the first file version 1 (or V1) and the second version 2. Some people also account for minor variations by numbering the file 1.1 or 1.2 and only moving to the next whole  number (for example 2.0) when they make a major change. However, version control is not all about numbering.  Organisations can still have version control problems if they do not have consistent naming and rules about where files are put. The right version in the wrong folder can still lead to wasted effort on the wrong version.

That all sound obvious, but I am interested in hearing about your experiences with the version control of documents.

The Apostrophe Protection Society http://www.apostrophe.org.uk/ has been tracking down examples of misused commas for many years. Now we have the “blog” of “unnecessary” quotation marks that tracks down “amusing” examples of quotation marks that have been used for emphasis, but could be interpreted scarcastically: http://www.unnecessaryquotes.com/. That got me thinking about other punctuation marks, such as hyphens. The Australian Government’s Style manual: For authors, editors and printers (Sixth Edition) has seven pages of complex rules about when to use or not use hyphens. For example, we are told we can use a hyphen for anti-aircraft but not antisocial and 150-odd but not bypass. We also have an up-to-date account but say the accounts are not up to date. Maybe we need a Hyphen “Protection” Society to steer us through the myriad of rules!

Here is a link to a video where Stephen Fry gives a grammar lesson. Do you agree with what he says or is he being pedant:

http://www.videosift.com/video/Stephen-Fry-gives-a-grammar-lesson-on-Q1

I have been cleaning out the paper and old journals that have accumulated in my files. It’s part of my ‘green’ initiative to store more information digitally or in PDF form. To take it a step further I bought an ebook rather than a paperback at ebooks .com. I could have chosen to read the book with a Mobipocket Reader, a handheld device, if I had one, or a Windows reader, but instead I chose an Adobe Digital Editions program. I can now read the book on my laptop and also access it online from any computer with an Internet connection. I wonder how many others are turning to ebooks instead of hardback or paperback books.

Brad Hauck (Mr Web Marketing) was the other speaker at the National Speakers Association of Australia meeting in Brisbane on 21 July. His topic was Social Media Marketing for Speakers. He mentioned Twitter, the latest phenomenon where people network in under 140 characters and spaces, Facebook, originally set up as a personal entertainment tool that some people use for business and blogging. He described blogs as an under-rated tool because they are not static like a traditional website page and Google loves blogs! (By the way, for blogging Brad recommends WordPress.) Brad also touched on LinkedIn, which he said some people use for business. Yes, half the audience of speakers are not using these tools, so he didn’t delve too deep.

Following that event two main thoughts spring to mind. Firstly, Twitter may be the next big thing, but I also sense a deep resistance. Twitter seems to be a tool that people either love or hate–something Brad did acknowledge. I haven’t formed an opinion on Twitter yet; it is something I am still trialling. Secondly, I do have an opinion about another of Brad’s suggestions and that is we need to integrate how we use all these social networking tools so that we do not become too overwhelmed!

Dimity Doran

Social Entrepreneurship

Yesterday I attended a National Speakers Association of Australia meeting in Brisbane. Dimity Dornan, who set up the Hear and Say Centre, spoke about her Social Entrepreneurship. One of her big ongoing challenges is funding and her biggest ‘aha’ moments in recent years to deal with this funding challenge is ‘bundling’. That’s a great take-home message for all entrepreneurs whether they are in the profit or non-profit sector.

The Society for Technical Communication (STC) reports that the United States Government has acknowledged technical writers as distinct from all other writing professions, so describing myself as a technical writer distinguishes me from a plethora of other writers. The STC were not successful in getting acceptance of a name change, though; the government preferred ‘technical writer’ to the term ‘technical communication specialist’. I agree that adding the word ‘communication’ gives a better indication of what technical writers do; however, I think the word ‘writer’ more specifically describes our activities.

It is the word of the week: Utegate, and it may only last that long–not long enough to make it to any dictionary. It is a word in all the news bulletins and has connotations to the political scandal in the United States dubbed WaterGate. However, the scandal looks like going nowhere because someone made it all up. It looks like the politicians have been flinging fairy floss at each other rather than mud.