raj nair asked: "Does multiple tools restrict the opportunities available for technical communicators? Why is that there is no single standard tool for the technical writing industry?"
Hi Raj, There are multiple tools because there is a plethora of types of technical writing....web content, HATTs, user guides, service manuals, software manuals, API reference guides, consumer instructions, video base materials.... About the only "single standard tool" would be the one used to write the original text and that would be whatever your company uses at its main word processor (mostly Word). For larger companies, that could be FrameMaker. Then, you have to think about illustrations (line art, photography, and so on) and if you're end product will be printed, displayed as web pages, presented as downloadable PDFs, or some combination of the three. You may find one tool that can do it all, but I have yet to find one tool that can do all the necessary things for all the types of writing equally. AND...what happens when some company comes out with something better. Do you dump your standard or move on? Al Geist Technical Communicator, Help, Web Design, Video, Photography Office/Msg: 802-872-9190 Cell: 802-578-3964 E-mail: al.ge...@geistassociates.com Website: www.geistassociates.com See Also: Fine Art Photography Website: www.geistarts.com "...I walked to work, quit my job, and kept walking. Better to be a pilgrim without a destination, I figured, than to cross the wrong threshold each day." (Sy Safransky) ______________________________________________ ComponentOne Doc-To-Help 2009 is your all-in-one authoring and publishing solution. Author in Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word or HTML and publish to the Web, Help systems or printed manuals. Download Free Trial. www.doctohelp.comhttp://www.techcommpros.com/componentone/ Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com _______________________________________________ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email t...@techcommpros.com. Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to tcp-subscr...@techcommpros.com Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to tcp-unsubscr...@techcommpros.com Need help? Contact listad...@techcommpros.com Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
