atw: Re: OT Writing tools

Oh, I do believe you.  I have known technical writers who do all of this!  I
wondered if any software package had solved it.  

Basically the world needs a word processor with about the same range of
options that you get in an on-line HTML editor.  I wondered if there was
anything out there that was beginning to get market space.  

The Blog template in Word is close.  I've just remembered and checked Google
Docs - it seems pretty good, and amazingly it does save to PDF, as well as
Word, RTF, and OO.  It even does presentations that you can save to
PowerPoint!

I wonder if anyone is using it?

 

Regards

Christine, who is getting more an more enamoured with Web 2.0

 

From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bob Trussler
Sent: Saturday, 24 January 2009 6:58 PM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: OT Writing tools

 

Christine,

Most of the non-TW people I know use MS Word to write the piece, then they
Save As into the required format or file type.

Most people use Normal and adjust the attributes to make the headings "look
nice", such as adding Bold or italics or both, but rarely a larger font.
Some people even look up the styles and use Heading 1, Heading 2 as they
exist on the Normal template.

 +  Dot points are often hand-crafted and this leads to the sentence start
being indented but not the second line which then returns to the left
margin.  (like this example). 

+  Some people improve the look by using a tab or spaces at the 

     beginning of the second line, and

so on.  This can lead to some very strange line lengths if one word 

wraps by itself as I am trying to get this to do.

 

Numbered lists are usually assembled using the icon they see on the toolbar,
and that can lead to tears.

Few people take control of Tabs, and they use 5 or 6 tabs to get to the
middle of the page, rather than actually setting a tab there.  (I learnt
about setting tabs on a manual typewriter, and every PC application is
easier and more versatile).

A paragraph with spacing before it is accomplished by inserting a blank
line, not by adjusting the formatting or the style.

If you don't believe me, I can forward a selection of 'professionally'
produced letters from companies and govt departments.

 

Bob T



  

2009/1/24 Christine Kent <c.bkent@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Guys

 

I am writing some materials about on-line marketing using Web 2.0 tools.
One of the things that is proliferating on the web is downloadable PDFs,
very simply formatted (ie one heading and the rest text), giving basic
product information.

 

My question.  We all use Word and/or Framemaker to an advanced level, but
what do "normal folks" use?  Not everyone gets Microsoft Office installed on
their new computer.  I have one friend who uses Notepad if he writes
anything at all.  That's it.  I want to put a few words together on how to
create a simple PDF file, but have no idea how "real people" do it.

 

Regards

Christine (who is becoming less and less like a techwriter every day)

 

 




-- 
Bob Trussler
Phone  0418 661 462

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