Comments on: The Reason I Haven't Embraced Single Sourcing http://www.gryphonmountain.net/2008/04/the-reason-i-havent-embraced-single-sourcing/ Technical Communication and Other Writing Topics, by Ben Minson Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:05:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By:   Weekly link roundup by Communications from DMN http://www.gryphonmountain.net/2008/04/the-reason-i-havent-embraced-single-sourcing/#comment-72   Weekly link roundup by Communications from DMN Sat, 03 May 2008 10:01:02 +0000 http://www.gryphonmountain.net/?p=28#comment-72 [...] And continuing on that theme, here’s one technical communicator explaining why he hasn’t embraced single sourcing. [...] [...] And continuing on that theme, here’s one technical communicator explaining why he hasn’t embraced single sourcing. [...]

]]> By: Ben http://www.gryphonmountain.net/2008/04/the-reason-i-havent-embraced-single-sourcing/#comment-71 Ben Mon, 14 Apr 2008 22:58:36 +0000 http://www.gryphonmountain.net/?p=28#comment-71 Here's another <a href="http://www.infinitediversity.com.au/techwriter/archives/68" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">discussion on single sourcing</a> from the Technical Writer blog. I think the best point here is the question of whether you're single sourcing because it's the latest thing or because you actually have business needs that it will satisfy. Here’s another discussion on single sourcing from the Technical Writer blog. I think the best point here is the question of whether you’re single sourcing because it’s the latest thing or because you actually have business needs that it will satisfy.

]]> By: Ben http://www.gryphonmountain.net/2008/04/the-reason-i-havent-embraced-single-sourcing/#comment-70 Ben Mon, 14 Apr 2008 22:43:06 +0000 http://www.gryphonmountain.net/?p=28#comment-70 That's about how I understand it. In particular, however, once upon a time I was using FrameMaker and had the frustrating experience of finding the manual to be exactly the same as the help system. In my opinion, a print manual that is a clone of the online help is superfluous; I can't use the program except on a computer, so I have access to the help, even if I have to use the copy that's installed on the hard drive. The manual seems to be a waste of trees if it's going to be an exact clone. That’s about how I understand it. In particular, however, once upon a time I was using FrameMaker and had the frustrating experience of finding the manual to be exactly the same as the help system. In my opinion, a print manual that is a clone of the online help is superfluous; I can’t use the program except on a computer, so I have access to the help, even if I have to use the copy that’s installed on the hard drive. The manual seems to be a waste of trees if it’s going to be an exact clone.

]]> By: Mark Rudden http://www.gryphonmountain.net/2008/04/the-reason-i-havent-embraced-single-sourcing/#comment-69 Mark Rudden Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:09:59 +0000 http://www.gryphonmountain.net/?p=28#comment-69 As I understand single sourcing, all the outputs don't have to be exactly the same. You source files contain everything, but you can decide what content goes into each output. So your online help may be a subset of your total help, while your user guide may have some different topics in addition to the OLH material, and so on. Mind you, I'm not completely sold on SS either, but properly done, it can be a flexible and comprehensive solution to providing documentation. As I understand single sourcing, all the outputs don’t have to be exactly the same. You source files contain everything, but you can decide what content goes into each output. So your online help may be a subset of your total help, while your user guide may have some different topics in addition to the OLH material, and so on.

Mind you, I’m not completely sold on SS either, but properly done, it can be a flexible and comprehensive solution to providing documentation.

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