Fwd: [Stctesig-l] Intercom question

["David J. B. Hollis" <dhollis@AandOConsultancy.ltd.uk>]

Hi, All

JoAnn, Kris & DITA TC are asking us to assist with a feature list for  
DITA 1.2. The November issue of Intercom includes JoAnn's article,  
which Kris scanned and uploaded.

I haven't not yet seen the Nov. Intercom, so I'm certainly NOT  
suggesting that this criticism is specifically towards JoAnn's  
article. It maybe towards the edition as a whole. For that matter,  
whilst I've downloaded the PDF, I haven't yet read through it.

However, I do think that we might learn from this criticism, and  
target the feature list accordingly?

But, having said that, it's also possible that the peculiarity of DITA  
not being a single, specific tool will mean we can never meet his  
preferences?

Where do we start from with a feature list? Just the items which have  
changed from the previous version, or re-iterate a few fundamentals?  
Are we targetting at folks with little or no knowledge of DITA, or  
folks who are already using 1.0 and/or 1.1?

And how do we competently explain that DITA 1.2 will be wrapped up in  
DOST 1.5?!

HTH
David


> From: "Ball, Guy" <guy.ball@EADS-NAdefense.com>
> Date: 14 October 2008 18:54:20 BST
> To: <stctesig-l@mailman.stc.org>
> Subject: [Stctesig-l] Intercom question
>
> I'm not sure if I'm off-base with these feelings, but I received the
> November issue of Intercom and felt it was too "theoretical" or  
> academic
> to be interesting.  They had a number of articles on documentation
> standards but there was little meat to them (at least in my
> less-than-humble opinion). One was just trying to convince us to adopt
> them but gave little info on what they were or how to view them.
>
> I realize that I prefer tools-of-the-trade publications that show off
> new products, tips, concepts, etc. to help me with my job.  And  
> maybe I
> don't review Intercom as much as I should, but I found this issue
> without real value to me.  I don't mind good overviews on subjects -
> like I wish there was on the new ISO standards - but the content of  
> this
> issue was ......
>
> I feel the same way about TechComm.  The few issues I've scanned in  
> the
> distant past appeared to be written by educators writing for other
> educators.  So I don't even read that anymore.  (I know, my loss....)
>
> Anyone else have some thoughts on this edition (or maybe Intercom in
> general)?  I don't want to start a slam fest on STC -- I've seen these
> emails can go that way.  But I'm just wondering about your views on
> Intercom and how it works for you. (I've enjoyed some of their  
> previous
> issues for their technical and hands-on content so previous issues  
> have
> worked well for me - and this could just be an off issue for me.)
>
> Guy Ball
> Senior Technical Writer, Engineering Department
> 949 460-2491
>
> EADS North America Test and Services
> 4 Goodyear
> Irvine, CA 92618