atw: Re: XML- a requirement for a TechWriter looking for Work?
- From: "Geoffrey Marnell" <geoffrey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:06:51 +1000
Peter,
If you were intending to answer Nikki's question (Is XML becoming part of a
requirement for a Tech Writer who is looking for work?) then I would have to
disagree with you. The overwhelming majority of technical documentation
projects involve no XML at all. My company has placed scores of technical
writers over the last few years, and not one of our numerous clients has
insisted that the contractors we provide have XML skills.
Further, you don't need to know a whiff of XML "to write and format material
for the web". Get a grip on Dreamweaver (or one of its competitors) and
that's about as much as you need to create a decent intranet or web-help
system.
The tools TWs use (MS Word and Adobe FrameMaker) can generate XML, that is
true; but that doesn't mean companies are all screaming out for XML. And
even with the niceties of DITA, the ROI on converting documentation
methodologies to DITA-based structured authoring is usually not there for
any but the largest organisations (of which there are few in Australia).
So, for all you members of austechwriter relatively new to the profession of
technical writing, don't be alarmed if you don't know much about XML and
structured authoring. There is plenty of work around for you. Do read up
about it, as it is certainly interesting; but don't lose sleep if you
haven't.
Cheers
Geoffrey Marnell
Principal Consultant
Abelard Consulting Pty Ltd
T: (+61 3) 9596 3456
F: (+61 3) 9596 3625
W: http://www.abelard.com.au
-----Original Message-----
From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
peterm_5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, 10 September 2008 11:46 AM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: XML- a requirement for a TechWriter looking for Work?
Nikki:
1. The latest HTML is a sub-set of XML (as in XHTML). If you want to know
about how to write and format material for the web, you need to understand
at least the basics of XML.
2. XML is the basis for a whole series of other communication protocols, so
if you have a need to understand and write about many systems, it would be
really handy to understand what everyone's talking about. For example, B2B
operations and databases are increasingly using XML as the format for
messages via net and interprocess connections.
3. XML is now the basis for a whole wad of documentation applications, Word
2007 and FrameMaker 7 and 8 and AuthorIT amongst
them. Key sub-sets of XML involved here include Docbook and DITA
XML. Because of the need to convert between different
documentation formats, there often is a need for XML to be used as a common
or intermediary format to be used in conversion processes.
That's basic starters. Meanwhile, for learning about basic XML and
some of its key sub-sets, don't go past http://www.w3schools.com .
It's pages are free, structured for learning, and have lots of examples.
--Peter M
>If you have some time, I would like some feedback on this
presentation supplied to the QLD >Tech Writers group.
>I just thought it rather interesting that "Learn XML" is becoming
part of a requirement >for a Tech Writer who is looking for work.
>Please can you let me know your thoughts on this and why you think
XML is essential to >being a Tech Writer.
>I am looking to write a post for my blog and I am want to poll
several technical writers >to see what their thoughts are as part of my
research.
>I want write about 'how' XML fits in the techwriter role, provide
some practical examples >where possible, what books are the best books to
learn XML, what courses are available.
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