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Subject:Re: Word 2007 headings with outline numbering From:"Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com> To:<techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Wed, 9 Dec 2009 13:21:08 -0800
In an environment where multiple, non-writer hands will touch a document before
it is ready to be released (which seems to describe about 75% of my experience),
I encourage non-writers to enter their input with as little formatting as
possible (ideally, none at all), and to number any steps they want numbered by
manually typing in numbers. The document then comes back to me for formatting
and correction before I turn it in for Document Control release. If they ask me
what I'd prefer they send to me, I often suggest they use Wordpad, or just bang
out plain text in Notepad. This is my preference even if I intend to eventually
transfer the content to FrameMaker or some other writer-only tool. I don't want
non-writers to waste time and energy trying to wrestle with Word formatting even
if I've prepared locked templates that are as fool-proof as I can make them,
because something about Word formatting always seems to bring out the biggest
fool in even the smartest non-writer who tries to use it.
Gene Kim-Eng
----- Original Message -----
From: "beelia" <beelia -at- gmail -dot- com>
> But that probably defeats the reason for using it in the first place. As
> Scott mentioned, it will inevitably be passed around because so many people
> "sort of" know how to use it. It's an obvious and probably necessary choice
> for collaboration, so it's bound to produce a mess until the "last hand"
> fixes it.
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