Advantage of a Rainy Summer

This article deals, despite the title above, with aspects on handling and checking of technical documentation. I consider these aspects as part of the functionality of documentation besides more conventional functionality such as factual correctness, layout, combination of figures and text.

Rullgård, Åke. TC-FORUM (2000). Articles>Documentation>User Centered Design

AECMA 1000D - Goal and Reality

The contribution deals with the transposition of projects on the basis of the AECMA-1000D-specification. The author explains problems which exist outside aeronautics with the application of this specification.

Just, Stefan. TC-FORUM (2001). Articles>Documentation>Standards

Are You Drowning in E-Mail?

We can't halt the flow of incoming email messages, but we can give you some suggestions that will help you become a better email communicator.

Blicq, Ronald S. TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Business Communication>Correspondence>Email

Authoring and Documentation Workflow Tools for Haitian Creole: A Minority Language

Although research has been conducted by several institutes on how to process written text for minority and vernacular languages, no academic research project thus far seems to have produced a usable, functional, authoring or translation tool for end-user native speakers of these types of languages. On the other hand, a set of software programs has been in the making for twenty years outside of academia.

Mason, Marilyn. TC-FORUM (2000). Articles>Language>Localization>Machine Translation

Babelfish: Real-Time Machine Translation on the Internet

On December 9, 1997, Digital Equipment Corporation and SYSTRAN A.G. launched AltaVista Translation Service, the first European language translation service for Web content. For the first time, non-English speaking users can translate information on the predominantly English speaking Web in real time.

Ament, Kurt. TC-FORUM (1998). Articles>Language>Localization>Machine Translation

The Blind Leading the Enlightened

Having read, with interest, the recent articles about the virtues (or otherwise) of Microsoft Word as a tool for producing technical documents we feel the real issue is not how to create technical documents using Microsoft Word, but rather what tool best suits the task. We suggest that the selection of the most appropriate tool be instigated by those enlightened people -- the Technical Publications people -- and not the business managers with little knowledge of the specialist needs of Technical Publications.

Munro, Christine. TC-FORUM (1998). Articles>Word Processing>Software

The Blue Background in PowerPoint

Why is the default color of PowerPoint dark blue? People prepare the best slides man can create - and yet they leave the default color stay dark blue.

Fuchs, Amo. TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Presentations>Visual Rhetoric>Color

A Bomb or a Tobacco Pipe?

A good understanding of the subject matter or the access to a specialist is an important element in technical writing and translation. It is a quality issue that I don’t believe too many people in the business would dispute. In Brazil, however, the creation and translation of technical material has increasingly become a problem exactly because this factor is being overlooked.

Destro, Delio. TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Language>Localization

Building a Bridge to Europe

Early in April 2001, delegates from the European societies for technical communication met for the first time in Brussels, following a joint invitation by tekom - the German society -- and ISTC - the UK institute. Among the represented societies were CRT (France), FTI (Sweden), ISTC (United Kingdom), STD (Finland), STIC (Netherlands), TECOM (Switzerland) and tekom (Germany and Austria). The most important outcome was the formulation of a joint declaration of intent to found a European-wide 'umbrella' organisation.

Wirtz, Ursula. TC-FORUM (2001). Articles>Collaboration>Regional>Europe

Capitalization of Headings and Titles

The following summarizes the replies to the question of 'capitalization of headings and titles' in the mailing list tcf-gen in recent months.

TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Style Guides>TC

Centres for Excellence in Technical Communication

There are little pockets of special capability in technical communication throughout the world that we rarely hear about, because the people involved maintain a low profile and just get on with the job.

Blicq, Ronald S. TC-FORUM (1997). Articles>TC>Regional

Controlled Language and Translation Memory Technology: A Perfect Match to Save Translation Cost

It goes without saying that controlled language makes it easier not only to understand a text, but also to translate it into another language, thereby reducing translation cost. This positive effect can be even more increased by the use of professional translation tools. By "translation tools", I do not mean machine translation systems such as Logos or Systran, but rather terminology database and translation memory applications. Typical examples of such tools are MultiTerm '95 Plus and Translator's Workbench.

Brockmann, Daniel. TC-FORUM (1997). Articles>Language>Localization>Controlled Vocabulary

Controlled Language - Risks and Side Effects

Controlled Language (CL) is a controversial issue for linguists, editors, readers, but also for firms. Costs, marketing and sales figures are at stake. Why did I select 'risks and side effects', from the numerous problems involved, for my contribution? I am convinced that CL will be successful because positive / financial arguments prevail. Consequently, we will have to avail ourselves of CL, and identify and realize the risks involved and potential vicious side effects.

Janowski, Wladyslaw. TC-FORUM (1998). Articles>Language>Localization>Controlled Vocabulary

Controlled Siemens Documentary German and TopTrans

The following paper is a machine-translated text from German into English. And at the same time it explains the technology applied.

Lehrndorfer, Anne. TC-FORUM (1998). Articles>Language>Localization

Converting Paper Mountains to Data Highlands

Big producers of equipment and systems of all branches often have piled up enormous volumes of product documentation in various formats on different media over long periods. How does one deal with that in the Internet age? How will brochure-like product catalogs be converted to type-specific clickable web pages, and printed price lists to present-day worldwide retrievable tables? Experiences with a large converting project show the process to achieve such document management.

Pichler, Wolfram. TC-FORUM (2000). Articles>Documentation>Online

Core Competencies for Technical Communicators

There are core competencies and enabling competencies. The competency areas are Core Competencies, which distinguish a particular field from other fields. Enabling Competencies do not distinguish the field but are still required for its success.

Rainey, Kenneth T. TC-FORUM (2001). Articles>TC>Professionalism

Cross-Cultural Transformation of Technical Documentation for the Chinese Market

Technical authors can compile technical documentation of high quality for a foreign market only if they are able to respect and understand the foreign culture.

Just, Stefan. TC-FORUM (2000). Articles>Documentation>Localization

CRT - in a New Look

Although CRT is small in numbers, it is already acquainted with the 'big' sister societies, such as tekom (Germany), ISTC (Great Britain) and other Technical Communicator groups in Europe. We were very pleased with the initial contacts made in Brussels early in 2001 aimed at establishing a new umbrella organization for technical communicators in Europe.

Flacke, Marie-Louise. TC-FORUM (2000). Articles>Editing>Regional>Europe

Cultural Colonialism - Is It Real?

I believe technical writers and translators should focus on the real needs of their customers. Any attempt to control language by force of law, internal regulations, or nationalistic feelings that do not reflect reality would be as damaging as adopting foreign, synthetic words for fashion.

Destro, Delio. TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Language>Cultural Theory

The Current Demand for Style Guides

During my research for a book project, I have found style guides in a wide variety of forms. Some are only a couple of pages. Others consist of hundreds of pages, delivered in ring binders. Some companies produce well-printed and bound books (for example, Microsoft and Sun). A lot of style guides, differing in quality and size, are in the Internet. Most of them cover the design of web pages; only a few deal with document design in general. From one company I received a multimedia CD containing their style guide. It is a well-designed piece of software, presenting graphic arts, sound and video.

Baumert, Andreas. TC-FORUM (1998). Articles>Style Guides

A Day in the Life

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a contracting technical communicator? What is a typical day like? What background brings someone to technical communication, and how does that experience play out on a daily basis? Here are some glimpses.

Priore-Garlock, Carmel. TC-FORUM (2000). Careers>TC

Development, Use and Profitability of Translation Memory Systems

Product life spans and documentation production times are becoming increasingly short and the expenditures for documentation are rising simultaneously with increasing product complexity. Hence, translation projects are becoming more costly as the parallel increasing documentation complexity.

Knauf, Ansgar. TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Documentation>Localization>Machine Translation

Different Types of Controlled Languages

There has been much discussion on the topic of Controlled Language (CL) in the past issues of TC-Forum. With several years of experience as a translator, as a trainer of Controlled English writing and translation post-editing, and as a developer of Machine Translation (MT) and Translation Memory (TM) systems, I would like to clarify some points that do not seem to have been presented in other articles. These points do not indicate all of the details of possible CL systems, but I hope that they open up the discussion to cover both past and recent developments in CL system and application research and development.

Allen, Jeff. TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Language>Localization>Controlled Vocabulary

Do Not Forget Bibliographical Data in Technical Documentation!

Information products, e.g. manuals, drawings etc, must, besides the technical message, contain certain formal data, which too often is left out. Proper formal data contributes to good order and favours the producer as well as the user of information products.

Rullgård, Åke. TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Documentation>Style Guides

Do Technical Writers Need an International Standard for English-Language Spelling?

He demonstrates how ministers of state who speak different languages often choose English as the most convenient language of communication. He cites the 11-nation European Central Bank in Frankfurt as a typical organization that works only in English. And he notes that many of the journals published by respected international organizations such as the Pasteur Institute also are published in English. TC-Forum is another example.

Blicq, Ronald S. TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Style Guides>International>Technical Writing