I am willing to work wherever I can be of the most use, but since I
don't even know what XML is, I might be more useful in the areas Jean
mentioned.
Barbara
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Sunday, September 07, 2008 8:48 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [authors] Introduction: Barbara Tobias
Barbara M. Tobias wrote:
> Thanks for the help! I have the Style Guide now and am studying it.
> After I feel a bit more comfortable with it, I'll work on taking the
> next baby step.
>
> Barbara T.
>
We are not heavy with editing personnel. Would you (and any others) be
willing to edit the new series of the Writer Guide using XML? This
hasn't been done before, and I am working on my first chapter using a
free XML editor.
That editor has a default output format where the document takes form
while it's being edited in DocBook 5. Actually, there are other options
other than DocBook 5, but DocBook was intended for use writing and
editing software documentation. It wouldn't hurt if we left the late
1990s and got more up to date.
It's not that difficult, once you sit down and try it. If our docs could
be set in XML (say, DocBook 5) format, then all that is really necessary
is for a few others to draft specific formatting templates for whatever
intended purpose.
If that would go smoothly, the layout phase would be fairly
straightforward once the formatting template(s) is at hand.
Anyway, I could produce some short learning exercises on the forum site
and whoever wants to try to assign DocBook 5 to a chapter can have a go
at it while editing. If that works OK, then the writers could apply much
of the DocBook 5 work while they write--at least for the major items,
such as headings (sections).
Gary
--
Gary Schnabl
2775 Honorah
Detroit MI 48209
(734) 245-3324
