LEAD STORIES:
Interview: Ann Rockley & Steve Manning on XML, DITA Conversions, and Dynamic Personalized Content: (Part 2)

What Fast Food Managers Have and Tech Pub Managers Need

EXTRA:
The DITA Test Drive Challenge Extended

Upcoming conferences

OTHER NEWS:
Everything you Wanted to Know about DITA

Ten Commandments of Content Management

Healthcare Facilities Share a Love/Hate Relationship with Cell Phones

Is Open Source for You?

DIGITIZATION FEATURE:
Syracuse University Library

ASIDES:
They Didn't Laugh Way Back When!

FAVORITES:
Popular articles from recent issues

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

LEAD STORIES

Interview: Ann Rockley & Steve Manning on XML, DITA Conversions, and Dynamic Personalized Content: (Part 2)

Last month, in Part 1 of this exclusive DCL interview, Ann Rockley shared current trends in companies moving to XML and the importance of content analysis. This month we continue the interview with Senior Consultant, Steve Manning, discussing content reuse, tools to convert content to DITA, component content management, and dynamic personalized content delivery. Then Ann joins us again to discuss an upcoming CMS Watch report that she is co-authoring.

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What Fast Food Managers Have and Tech Pub Managers Need

Industries of all kinds, from fast food to the airlines, have tools that collect metrics and provide critical information to those who need to know it. How many fast food managers could keep their jobs if they "forgot" to order buns for the burgers? Likewise, how effective would pilots be without the tools to tell them how far they are from their destination and how much fuel they have to get there? Tools that collect and display critical information make it possible to knowledgably manage people and processes without having to guess.

Tech Pub managers, on the other hand, aren't often given the tools they need to effectively manage technical publications content and processes. They are often left to track projects using spread sheets, white boards, and asking team members, "How far along are you on project XYZ?" This article on content quality management explains how the psychic powers approach to project management can cost an organization an enormous amount of money and time. The authors also provide an optimistic future look at CMS tools that allow managers to see where content is at any given point in the documentation process, avoiding bottlenecks and costly product launch delays.

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EXTRA

DCL's DITA Test Drive Challenge Extended

Last month we offered a DITA 'test drive' to convert 500 pages of your legacy content to DITA 1.0 XML and analyze 2500 pages of your legacy content in our unique Content Reuse Analysis software for a special price. Increased interest has prompted us to extend this offer this month too.

Get more details on this time limited offer at: www.dclab.com/dita_conversion_offer.asp

DITA, DITA, DITA. We've all heard the talk. Some of us even understand it. Though DITA's popularity is spreading, many of us still don't know the basics. In this first of a two-part series, DCL offers you just that-the basics- to help improve your understanding of Darwin Information Typing Architecture (in case you didn't know). This guide is for technical communicators, information architects, and just about anyone with a passing knowledge of XML.

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Ten Commandments of Content Management

We don't want to sound sanctimonious, but acting within certain guidelines makes our lives easier. And wouldn't it be easier just to follow basic good-sense guidelines of content management rather than have to learn things the hard way? Our partner, Vasont Systems has loaned us this white paper, The Ten Commandments of Content Management, to provide our readers with some good advice when evaluating a CMS. Plus it has a list of questions you must ask yourself and your CMS vendors when choosing a system that is right for your organization. So, try to avoid the transgressions others have made by following these tried-and-true rules. You just may get to the other side of your content management implementation without too many blunders.

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Healthcare Facilities Share a Love/Hate Relationship with Cell Phones

A new study shows the old excuse of cell phones "interfering with medical equipment" no longer holds water. However hospitals weighing privacy issues and possible HIPAA (the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act) violations against improved medical care face a dilemma. After a series of high-profile cases where hospital personnel have violated patient privacy by photographing patients and medical records with cell phone cameras, many healthcare facilities are creating and enforcing stricter cell phone bans. But this study shows that some hospitals are easing bans in an effort to increase the ability for healthcare workers to access critical information in a timely way. Hospital anesthesiologists who used cell phones reported fewer delays in communication that helped decrease errors.

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More info:

healthcareitnews.com

Is Open Source for You?

When choosing a content management system, some organizations are opting for open source ECM (Enterprise Content Management). While not totally free, they can save you money-if you do your homework and know what you really need. There are still costs associated with maintenance, technical support, and other services, but there are also benefits to open source software aside from possible costs savings. This short overview gives you some pros and cons of trying an open source solution.

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DIGITIZATION FEATURE

Syracuse University Library

It's no surprise that universities are where we can find some of the most interesting and extensive new digitization projects. It's reassuring to see some of the things the young minds of today feel compelled to preserve for tomorrow. This month's digitization feature takes us to Syracuse University Library where digital projects range from glass plate negatives of the Erie Railroad to medieval manuscripts.

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ASIDES

They Didn't Laugh Way Back When!

Computerworld goes back 40 years in print advertising to show us how far we've really come. Even if you don't remember when ads where hawking 300 MB of disc space for only $20,000 or "sexy" modems were presented by models in skimpy outfits, you've got to see these. These were what sold technology just a few decades ago-and many people bought. Some of them take us back to the old days of IBM Selectrics, some are laugh-out-load funny, and some are just downright insulting, but they are all worth seeing.

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QUOTE OF THE MONTH

This month's quote:

FAVORITES

Popular articles from recent issues

Ann Rockley & Steve Manning on XML, DITA Conversions, and Dynamic Personalized Content: An Interview (Part 1)
http://www.dclab.com/dita_xml_rockley.asp

DITA-izing Your Documents: Five Issues to Think About When Converting Your Legacy Publications to DITA
http://www.dclab.com/dita_conversion_tips.asp

Component Content Management: Overlooked By Analysts; Required By Technical Publications Departments
http://www.dclab.com/component_content_management.asp

Content Management vs. the Brain Drain Headache
http://www.dclab.com/cms_stops_brain_drain_headaches.asp