[Note: I've given several presentations since the beginning of March, and I promised those who attended that I would create a list of links so that they wouldn't have to retype them from the handouts. I started creating a blog entry for this on Thursday night, and when I went to preview it, I got a message that something was wrong with a URL...probably one from Microsoft. So I figured I'd save the entry, and come back later to edit it. What I didn't realize was that b2evolution doesn't save posts with bad URLs...so I'm going to try this again.]

Microsoft links

Microsoft has been a frequent topic of discussion ;-)

• Search HATT and techwr-l for discussions on the fate of WinHelp.
• "The Windows Vista Developer Story: Application Compatibility, Migration, and Interoperability" has been used as a reference as to Microsoft's intentions (scroll down to Deprecated Components). However, at this time, this paragraph is incorrect. I'll post a note when it has been updated.
• See Microsoft Assistance Markup Language (AML) in action! Visit Microsoft Windows TechNet Server TechCenter (Beta), which is Microsoft AML transformed to HTML. (The beta Microsoft Windows Vista Help and Support site also uses Microsoft AML, but it is not currently available.)
• When (if?) the Microsoft AML schema is made available, you can see it at the Microsoft Help Technologies Start Page.
• The Microsoft Help MVPs are trying to keep the MSHelpWiki updated.

CSS and HTML

(Support W3C standards!)

• Why tables for layout is stupid: problems defined, solutions offered
• CSS Layout
• From Table Hacks to CSS Layout: A Web Designer’s Journey
• CSS Zen Garden
• CSS Design (Wiki and listserv)
• W3 Schools
• Max Design (Listamatic, Floatutorial, Selectutorial, and more)
• Position Is Everything
• Fix Your Site with the Right DOCTYPE

Validating your files

If the display is off (usually in Firefox or other compliant browser), or if something just isn't working the way you think it should, validate.

• W3C’s validator
• HTML Tidy
• CSE HTML Validator Lite
• W3Schools Online Validator
• XML-capable browser list

Whew! I think that's all of them...let me know if there are any that I missed.

I received a sales email from MadCap Software the other day...usual stuff, mostly (last chance pricing, new products, training, and V2 announcement). All in all, a pretty decent email...until I got to the paragraph on version 2.

It starts with "MadCap Flare is already the best Help authoring tool on the market...". (Isn't this how RoboHelp became the "industry standard"??? ;-) ) I'm not knocking Flare or the team that put it together...I think they did an amazing job in a short timeframe, and I think Flare will be the right tool for many people. But I'm having problems considering Flare to be the "best Help authoring tool on the market" when it's still at version 1, it's only been out for about six weeks, and when it is the *wrong* tool for some folks.

For years, I've been saying that folks should figure out what they need their HAT to do, and then find the one that matches. I get really frustrated when I hear someone say that they're going to get the HAT that says it's the industry standard, because that has nothing to do with their workflow. As Help authors and technical communicators, we have so many things going on now, the last thing we need to do is take time figuring out how to force our process to work with a tool. We need tools that fit the way we work, but it's up to us to figure out which tool that is. (Or, in some cases, which tools those are.)

This is part of the reason why I originally put together the HAT matrix, and a big part of the reason why I updated it. If you've been working with a HAT for awhile, and keep saying "I really wish it would do x", then look at the matrix and see if another HAT is a better fit.

The pie is big enough for all. No one needs exaggerated marketing.

Yesterday, the STC released preliminary results for the elections, and I was elected Secretary.

Thanks to all who voted for me :-) I appreciate your support, and I'm looking forward to working with the board.

This year's conference has definitely raised more questions than answers.

• WinHelp. The Help MVPs decided that I would be the one to post to the public groups (HATT, Techwr-l, etc.), and I've answered lots of posts since I made the WinHelp announcement. To clarify a few things:
  • Yes, what I provided was the latest official announcement. It currently supersedes all other announcements (although once Microsoft updates some stuff on their site, that won't necessarily be true...on the other hand, they'll be updating the information to what I provided.
  • No, you don't need to convert your WinHelp files today. Or tomorrow. Or even next week. But you definitely need to plan on it.
  • Yes, the WinHelp engine should run on Vista. But this doesn't mean anyone should do it. Microsoft has some very good reasons for making this decision, and it was not made lightly. (No, I can't publicly state what these decisions are. But I can tell you that I agree with them, and I know a lot of what went into making this decision.)
• Adobe and RoboHelp. One post that I read said "too little, too late". It would have been great if this announcement had been made last year. (Heck, it would have been great if they had showed up last year.) What concerns me is that the announced release date is mid 2007. I don't know how many folks will still care by then...it's a long time away. Anyone who has any kind of issue will have moved by then...no one can wait 15 months (on top of the 3+ years we've already waited) for a possible solution. (At this point, we don't even know what that solution is.)
• MadCap. Last year, MadCap showed up (pretty much before they had much more than some T-shirts and a banner ;-) ). This year, Flare has been released, and two other tools were announced: Mimic (for animations) and Capture (for screenshots). Both apps are tightly integrated with Flare. (They also gave away new T-shirts, including the "die kadov" shirt. See the MadCap store!)
• Scriptorium. Structured Frame users now have an easy solution to providing online Help outputs with Scriptorium's latest tool, DocFrame. I might not use Frame, but I know a tool designed for its users when I see it!

I have to run...I'll gather more information today :-)

Well, yesterday certainly was an interesting day!

The day started with the Pundit's Panel. Like last year, the panel included four gurus (Sarah O'Keefe, Dave Gash, Mike Hughes, and Saul Carliner), and was moderated by Joe Welinske. While Joe ended last year with the news that RoboHelp would probably go away (thus leading to all sorts of posts), he started this year's by saying that it looks like RoboHelp would be around for awhile.

Officially, Adobe announced at the evening's mixer that RoboHelp development would continue. Right now, the "when" is a bit iffy, but obviously, I will post as soon as I hear anything substantive.

There was also a forum in the afternoon, taking the place of the usual "here's what's going on with Vista Help" session. The forum included seven panelists, including Kip Knox and Paul O'Rear from Microsoft, Help MVP Paul Neshamkin and myself, and three other Help experts (Rob Houser, Tony Self, and David Locke). Part of the discussion centered around the fact that WinHelp is being deprecated for Vista.

In a meeting last night, the Help MVPs were told that the WinHelp engine would not be included in Vista, and it also won't be available for download or distribution. The one thing I want to emphasize is that this decision was not made lightly, and everyone in the meeting knew both what the reaction would be and what the effects are.

If you are currently developing WinHelp, you need to think about switching to another output. WinHelp hasn't been touched in years, other than for security updates. However, at some point, even the security updates will not happen.

I'm not sure what announcements will be made today, but I'll keep you informed!

No major announcements just yet...but yesterday was more of an "arrival and get set up" day. I got a few pictures at the informal mixer, but not that many...Chuck was, as always, taking thousands of shots, so I'm sure you'll see some on his blog later today.

Today's sessions include the Pundit's Panel, which starts the conference. Last year's panel (of which I was a member) created all kinds of buzz with Joe's prediction that RoboHelp was being sunset. I'm curious to hear what this year's predictions are.

There's been one major change to the schedule...Microsoft's session on Vista Help has been cancelled and has been replaced by a panel on the future of Help. (And I'm a member of that panel...I'm stressing the importance of Web standards. Like usual ;-) )

And tonight we have the Networking Mixer (sponsored by Adobe...we're still waiting to hear any announcements there. Although the booth is labeled with signs for Macromedia RoboHelp, which is really kinda funny ;-) )

Stay tuned...

Tomorrow, Help authors from around the world will gather in Palm Springs (California) for the annual WritersUA Conference. It's going to be an interesting week...Adobe is expected to make some kind of announcement (personally, I don't think anyone cares what they say as long as they say something), lots of information will be going around, and who knows what rumors and facts will be announced.

If you aren't attending this year, keep an eye on this blog (and Chuck Martin's) for the latest news.

And if you will be there, find me and say "hi"!

As I was so gently reminded today ;-), my blog is a bit out of date. (The general consensus is, if I'm not blogging, I'm busy!)

And I've been accumulating things that I need to post. But until I get home to my many lists, I'd like to start by saying "thank you" to the Pittsburgh and Northeast Ohio chapters of the STC.

I was invited to speak at an all-day event (which just happened to be today), and I had a great time :-) We started the day with Trends in Help Authoring Tools (including a wee trip down memory lane ;-) ), moved to an introduction of Vista Help, and finished with a workshop on preparing a Needs' Analysis (to select a HAT). Three vendors were present: ComponentOne (Doc-To-Help), MadCap Software (Flare), and Quadralay (WebWorks ePublisher). These vendors and others (including Adobe, AuthorIT, TechSmith, and RAD Com) sponsored the day's events, including breakfast, lunch, and door prizes.

The weather was just overcast enough that no one wished to be outside ;-), and the food was great. And, from the comments I heard, my presentations were very well received.

Thanks again :-)