Using document conventions from the MS Manual of Style

[Stuart Burnfield <slb -at- FS -dot- COM -dot- AU>]

Katherin King <kking -at- BROOKTROUT -dot- COM> said:
> Is it [computer] industry standard to use the document conventions,
> menu terminology and style, etc., as described in the MS Manual of
> Style? Most of my work is software documentation and I've only recently
> picked up the MS Manual. As I read it, all I could think of was, "We
> don't do it that way." Do most TW's follow Microsoft's conventions?

It's certainly better to follow a standard than not. I don't know the
MS Manual but many people seem to like it. If your product is meant
to be used with MS applications (e.g. an Office add-on) it would make
sense to your manuals to follow the conventions of theirs.

If you think your own standards are better than Microsoft's it wouldn't
make sense to change. Do be sure though that you prefer your standards
because they're better, not just because Microsoft's are different.

If you'd like an alternative, I think "Read Me First! A Style Guide for
the Computer Industry" is pretty good (ISBN: 0-13-455347-0).

When it comes down to it, style guides, templates and so on can't do
much more than stop your documentation being bad. You're the one who
makes it good. A sound, consistent set of guidelines that you're happy
with will give you a good head start, but no more than that. Choose
your guidelines with that in mind.

Regards
---
Stuart Burnfield                "Fun, fun, fun
Functional Software Pty Ltd     In the sun, sun, sun. . ."
mailto:slb -at- fs -dot- com -dot- au