A bit slow getting started this year, but here are the details of the next Qld Tech Writer event. If you are interested in giving a short 20 minute presentation to the group, please let me know and we can arrange a suitable venue.

Details

Date: Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Time: 5.30pm
Venue: TBA 
RSVP: Friday 5 March 2010 - http://bit.ly/asWjzd

The Author-it Web Help Configuration Wizard has been updated to be compatible with the latest Author-it release (5.3.209.6248).

Specifically, it has been updated to support the new option to specify the default text to be used in the feedback email.

Access the wizard here: http://www.hamishblunck.com/authorit/aitconfig/

If you have used the wizard before and you entered your email address, you can re-enter it to retrieve your settings (and then make the update for the feedback text).

A word of warning: Backup your template folder before copying the new configuration files across. Also, if you have made additional changes to the index.htm or webhelp.css files you will need to merge these back in.

A not-so-serious look at technical communication through some random stats pulled from the internet.

References:

• http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos319.htm
• http://www.stc.org/about/index.asp
• http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/27-3042.00
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WinHelp
• http://www.readthefuckingmanual.com/
• http://comm6480rpi.blogspot.com/2009/09/clippy-misunderstood-animated.html
• http://tinathetechwriter.blogspot.com/
• http://www.historyofscience.com/G2I/timeline/index.php?id=419
• http://www.laynetworks.com/history2.htm
• http://www.stc.org/about/history01.asp

I have updated my Using Author-it Variants for Multi-release Software document with information about removing older releases and an FAQ. It has also been tested against Author-it v5.3.207.6063.

Go here to read the document.

If you use this solution, please register for updates. 

An invaluable tool I have been using for the last year or so is Texter. Developed by Lifehacker (also a great blog in itself) it saves you loads of time by replacing a pre-defined abbreviation with text as you type.

How it works: Texter monitors what you type. When you type in a pre-defined series of keystrokes (a ‘hotstring’), Texter replaces those characters with a longer section of text. For example, if your company name is Primatech Paper Company, you could set up a hotstring of ppc. When you type ppc, Texter replaces it with Primatech Paper Company.

Texter works with any Windows application.

An example I use at work is below.

Tip: To avoid inadvertently inserting expanding text mid-word I use the full stop (or period) before all of my hotstrings. It is unlikely that I’ll type a key sequence of a full stop and then a letter directly after it and not want it expanded.

I was lucky enough to spend another week at Sunshine Beach. Here are some more photos of Sunshine Beach, Coolum, and Noosa National Park.

Looks like the plan has been foiled :)

Saw a few awesome sets at the Valley Fiesta: Ball Park Music, Hungry Kids of Hungary, and Madeleine Page. Here are some photos of the afternoon.