Meeting Summary: 11/16/05 Central Texas DITA Users Group (CTDUG)

["Shepperd, Wendy" <Wendy_Shepperd@bmc.com>]

Title: Meeting Summary: 11/16/05 Central Texas DITA Users Group (CTDUG)

Following are some highlights from the 11/16 CTDUG meeting. I apologize if you receive the message more than once. We are still cross-posting to various lists for maximum coverage. I understand that many of you are not in the Austin area, but many users on this list have requested information about our activities.

11/16 MEETING MINUTES

The November meeting featured "Introduction to the Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA)," presented by Don Day. The slides are posted on the group yahoo site: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ctdug/files/

To learn more about the ctdug group, please visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ctdug . To start sending messages to members of this group, send email to ctdug@yahoogroups.com. If you are interested in joining this list, send me your email address, and I will add you.

Approximately 20 people attended the meeting, which was held at the BMC Software campus. The participants represented a variety of companies and roles. Experience with DITA ranged from those hearing about it for the first time to those who are already using DITA in their environment.

There was a lot of discussion both during and after the presentation. Most users are participating because they are interested in DITA and in topic-oriented writing. I noticed a lot of the audience nodding as Don made certain points during the talk, especially on the pain of tracking changes in replicated content (during the discussion about reuse of content, design, and processing in DITA).

The group agreed not to hold a meeting in December due to the holidays.

The group also agreed to hold the January meeting on the fourth Wednesday instead of the third Wednesday because JoAnn Hackos will be in Austin the fourth week of January, and she has generously accepted our invitation to attend and speak at the January meeting.

NEXT MEETING
What: Central Texas DITA Users (CTDUG) Group meeting
When: Wednesday January 25, 2005, 7:00 - 9:00 pm Central
Where: BMC Software - Executive Briefing Center (EBC-A)

10431 Morado Circle
Office Building: 5
Austin, Texas (TX)78759

Who: All are welcome. No previous knowledge or membership is required. If you want to join the group, let us know, and we will add you to the list!

Agenda
7:00-7:30 Networking and Food (please plan to chip in for delivery or bring your own dinner)
7:30-8:30 Speaker - JoAnn Hackos, "Topic-oriented Writing"
8:30-9:00 Q&A

Directions:
&&http://maps.google.com/maps?q=10431+Morado+Cir+Austin,+TX+78759-5637&spn=0.014839,0.031760
&iwloc=A&hl=en

From MoPac or IH-35 Take 183 North. Take the Braker Lane exit. At the light take a left on to Braker Lane. Continue through the light at Braker and Jollyville Road (Braker Lane turns into Morado Circle). BMC Software is located at the corner of Braker and Jollyville Road. Take the 3rd driveway and park in front of Building V and check in with the Security Guard.

Please plan to join us in January! No prior experience or membership required. Again, if you would like to join CTDUG, just let me know!

--wendy

Wendy Shepperd
BMC Software
Information Development, Manager

Wendy Shepperd
BMC Software
Information Development, Manager
office 512-340-6549
mobile 512-632-3288