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.
At 16:11 14/09/95 LCL, you wrote:
>Does such a thing as a style guide for software documentation
>exist? If so, please post info about it.
___________________________________________________
At 13:07 15/9/95, I wrote:
Greetings Connie...
I posed a similar question a couple of weeks ago to the list re. corporate
style guides. I received an excellent response. Below are some references
you might find useful.
The following came from Gregory Keith, Documentation Specialist, Delrina
Canada. (gkeith -at- delrina -dot- com)
DOCUMENTATION STYLE GUIDES
Apple Publications Style Guide. (Cupertino, CA: Apple Computer, February 1994).
(Available from Apple Products Developer's Association at (US)
1-800-282-2732/ (Can) 1-800-637-0029 and on the Web at
www.info.apple.com/dev/developerservices.html, under the Publication Guides
directory. 380K compressed and binhexed.)
Digital Style Guide, by Susan I. Schultz, Jennifer J. Darrow, Frank X.
Kavanagh and Marjorie J. Morse. (Burlington, MA: Digital Press, 1993). ISBN
1-55558-104-8. (Reviewed by Durthy A. Washington in STC's Journal, Vol. 42,
No. 1.).
Digital Technical Documentation Handbook (previously known as "The Digital
Guide to Creating User Information", by Susan I. Schultz, Jennifer J.
Darrow, Frank X. Kavanagh and Marjorie J. Morse. (Burlington, MA: Digital
Press, 1993). ISBN 1-55558-103-X.
(Order both of the above from Digital Press through: Butterworth Heinemann,
Order Department, 225 Wildwood Avenue, Woburn, MA 01801. Phone:
1-800-366-2665 or (617)928-2500, Fax: 1-800-446-6520 or (617)933-6333,
e-mail: orders -at- bh -dot- com -dot- )
Microsoft Publications Style Guide. Version 1.0. (Redmond, WA: Microsoft
Corp, 1991).
OSF/Motif Style Guide. Version 1.0. (Open Software Foundation, Prentice-Hall
Inc.) ISBN 0-13-640491-X.
Xerox Publishing Standards: A Manual of Style and Design. Xerox Corporation.
(Watson-Guptill Publications, 1988). ISBN 0-8230-5964-2.
...cheers!
__________________________________________________
Geoff Bradbury - Technical Writer for InTEXT Systems
"Makers of extraordinarily fine text storage and retrieval software"
PO Box 310, Deakin West, ACT 2600, Australia
+61 6 283 6804 (voice) +61 6 285 4316 (fax)
My writings reflect my views: not those of InTEXT Systems
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by."
- Douglas Adams
__________________________________________________