TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Lauren wrote <<I don't know if it was an O/S issue or Word version issue.>>
Lauren, all I know is that what you're describing is not Word's default
behavior. Most likely, the organization(s) implemented some customized
solution that created the problem. I have consulted in many organizations,
and many of them have special scripts that alter Word in various ways. Some
of them were used to advantage. For example, to prevent users from using
non-standard templates, one company created login scripts to overwrite the
Normal template with the company standard, load startup add-ins, and deliver
the latest versions of global templates each time the users logged in.
But the scripts--and the templates--are only as good as the person who
creates them.
<<Embedded styles used to be more rigid so that authors could have more
control. Now anyone editing the document can change the style.>>
I've been using word processing tools going back to the eighties, and every
off-the-shelf tool I have used allowed users to change formatting on a
file-by-file basis, unless the company implemented some customized solution
like the one I have described above. Word 2003 actually does have improved
protection features, but those features require some degree of involvement
on the organizational side to really work well.
Content management systems do offer a lockdown process. Users only engage in
writing content, and when they submit their content through the rendering
engine, it comes out in a standard format. That's the most controlled
solution that I know of, but it's also the most expensive.
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team authoring,
Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
Now shipping: Help & Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
to 106 languages with Help & Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- infoinfocus -dot- com -dot-
