WritersUA - Training and Information for User Assistance Professionals

Other Resources

The following general resources are Web sites of interest to Help authors, technical communicators, and programmers.

Select a topic to jump quickly to its resource listings: Help, DITA, Tools, Content, Information Design, Programming Languages, Professional Organizations, Usability, Graphics, or Wireless.

Submit a listing for this directory.

Help
General Help Resources

Helpware Group
www.helpware.net

Provides comprehensive support for MS Help Viewer, Win Help, MS HTML Help, MS Help Support (VS Help), and MS AP Help.

HATT Forum
www.egroups.com/group/HATT

Discussion group focused on technical writing.

indoition: Software User Assistance
http://www.indoition.com/index.html

Offers links, articles, checklists, and tools for writing support documentation.

I'd Rather Be Writing
http://idratherbewriting.com/

Blog by Tom Johnson on technical writing.

MacOS Help
developer.apple.com/macos/help.html

Resource for developing Mac OS X and IPhone OS applications.

RoboHelp 8
http://www.grainge.org/pages/authoring/rh8/rh8.htm

RoboHelp guide, 'try it' exercises, and other articles by Peter Grainge.

Usable Help
www.g2meyer.com/usablehelp/index.html

An examination of support documentation and Help systems for software and consumer products by Gordon Meyer.

OmniHelp tripane on-line help viewer
https://sourceforge.net/projects/omnihelp/

Developer support for OmniHelp, a cross-platform, browser-independent, help system that uses JavaScript and CSS with HTML 4.

"What is the best output format for me?," The RoboColum(n)
http://notcolin.wordpress.com/category/technical-writing/

Summary of various Help output formats

Adobe RoboHelp Help and Support
http://www.adobe.com/support/robohelp/

Author-it Knowledge Center
http://kc.author-it.com/#b45748t24310n12828

Flare Tips & Tricks
http://www.clickstart.net/presentations/flaretips_writersua10.pdf

Madcap Flare Support
http://www.madcapsoftware.com/support/

The Writer's Rough Guide to Everything Flare
http://kungfuwit.wordpress.com/

Microsoft Help

WritersUA Microsoft Help
www.writersua.com/articles/
news/news_2007_1201.htm

Articles and links focused on Microsoft Help Technologies including WinHelp, HTML Help, Help 2, Assistance Platform, CE Help, and Sandcastle.

Help-Info.de
http://www.help-info.de/en/welcome.htm

German-based resource for Microsoft Help technologies including Help 3, Windows Vista AP Help, Help 2, etc.

The Help Guy
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/thehelpguy/

Paul O'Rear's blog for all things Help technology related.

Microsoft HTML Help 1.4 SDK
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms670169.aspx

Microsoft documentation and links to download for HTML Help.

MSHelpWiki.com
http://www.mshelpwiki.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=MsHelp

Created by Microsoft Help MVPs and maintained by the Help authoring community.

Java Help - Sun Microsystems

JavaHelp
https://javahelp.dev.java.net/

Introduction and support to Java's online help system.

 
Oracle Help - Oracle

Oracle Help for Java
otn.oracle.com/tech/java/help/content.html

Oracle support for Java-based help systems.

 
DITA

DITA Overview
http://www.writersua.com/
DITA_overview.htm

DITA Web Resources
http://www.writersua.com/
DITA_webresources.htm

DITA Tools A-Z
http://www.writersua.com/
DITA_tools.htm

DITA Tutorials
http://www.writersua.com/
DITA_tutorials.htm

DITA History
http://www.writersua.com/
DITA_history.htm

 
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World Wide Web Technologies
General Technology Sites

 • www.w3.org
 • www.webmonkey.com
 • builder.com.com

Webmonkey Web Developer Resource Site
hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/reference/ browser_chart

A List Apart
alistapart.com

A non-commercial weekly magazine for web designers, developers, and content producers.

Association of Internet Professionals
www.association.org

W3 Schools.com
www.w3schools.com

Free web building tutorials, from basic HTML and XHTML tutorials, to advanced XML,XSL, and WAP tutorials.

Joel Sklar web site
www.joelsklar.com/access.htm

Accessibility resources, tools, and demos

Section 508
www.section508.gov

Active X

Active X controls
www.microsoft.com/com/activex.asp

 
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
 • www.w3.org/Style/
 • www.cwi.nl/~steven/www/css1-qr.html
 • www.msdn.microsoft.com/
library/default.asp?
url=/library/en-us/dnie40/html/css-ie4.asp

 • www.css-discuss.org/
 • www.w3.org/Style/
 • www.cwi.nl/~steven/www/css1-qr.html
 • www.msdn.microsoft.com/
library/default.asp?
url=/library/en-us/dnie40/html/css-ie4.asp

Markup Languages

HTML
 • www.w3.org/MarkUp/

DHTML (Dynamic HTML)
 • www.webreference.com/dhtml
 • www.w3schools.com/
dhtml/default.asp

DITA
 • www.xml.coverpages.org/dita.html
 • www.oasis-open.org/committees/dita
 • www.ibm.com/developerworks/
xml/library/x-dita6/.x-dita_downloads.html


XHTML
 • www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/#guidelines
 • www.wdvl.com/Authoring/
Languages/XML/XHTML
XML
 • www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/
 • www.w3.org/XML
 • msdn.microsoft.com/xml/default.asp
 • www.xml.com
 • www.gca.org/papers/xmleurope2001/
Scripting Languages
JavaScript/Jscript
 • developer.netscape.com/tech/
javascript/index.html

 • www.newarchitectmag.com
 • webmonkey.com
 • msdn.microsoft.com/scripting/default.htm
 • www.javascript.com
 • www.cgiscript.net/site_javascript.htm
PHP Hypertext Preprocessor
 • www.php.net
 • www.phpbuilder.com
VBScript
 • msdn.microsoft.com/scripting/
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Tools

TechComm Toolbox
http://techcommtoolbox.com

Enables visitors to view listings by category or alphabetically, includes full-text search for specific entries, and encourages end-users to comment on their experiences. Anyone (including companies that provide applications or services) is welcome to submit their favorite application or service to the site.

eHelp RoboHelp

The RoboHelp Community
www.helpcommunity.ehelp.com/robohelp/

Adobe FrameMaker

Filtrex
www.blueberry.com

Filter that imports (and exports) many different file types into FrameMaker format.

FrameUsers.com
www.frameusers.com

Online user group and reference site for Adobe FrameMaker.

PatternStream
www.patternstream.com

Expensive but solid way to import databases into FrameMaker.

FrameMaker Developer Kit and documentation
partners.adobe.com/public/
developer/framemaker/devcenter.html

FrameScript
www.framescript.com

Framescript email list
groups.yahoo.com/framescript

FrameMaker developers email list
groups.yahoo.com/frame_dev

FrameScript Tutorials
http://www.frameexpert.com/
tutorials/index.htm

Macromedia Dreamweaver

Deva Tools for Dreamweaver
www.devahelp.com

A suite of integrated utilities that work with Macromedia Dreamweaver (Windows PC version) to create navigation systems for your web site, intranet, or HTML-base help.

PDF

PDFzone.com
pdfzone.com

All things PDF: tools, PDF connections, how-to, developers corner, services.

PlanetPDF.com
PlanetPDF.com

A comprehensive, popular, and independent web site exclusively focused on Adobe Acrobat/PDF users and uses, which offers many free tools and plug-ins for Acrobat.

PrintToPDF
www.jwwalker.com/pages/pdf.html

Inexpensive tool for the Macintosh that creates PDFs from within many applications without needing the full Adobe Acrobat package.

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Content
Editing

The Editorial Eye
www.eeicom.com/eye

The Technical Editors' Eyrie
www.jeanweber.com

Provides resources covering the wide range of knowledge and skills that technical writers and editors need when editing manuals, online Help, web sites, and other materials. This site demonstrates that technical editing goes far beyond copyediting and proofreading.

Error Messages

"Error Messages: More Important to Your Web Site Than You Think," Grace Stoeckel, MarketingProfs.com:
www.marketingprofs.com/3/stoeckle1.asp, Subscription required

"Issue #10: The Web Shouldn't Be a Comedy of Errors," Scott Berkun, UI Web.com:
www.uiweb.com/issues/issue10.htm

"Error Message Guidelines," Jakob Nielsen, Useit.com:
www.useit.com/alertbox/20010624.html

"Designing and Writing to Reduce User Errors," Michael Albers, WritersUA.com:
www.winwriters.com/
articles/errors/index.html

"Non-Fatal Errors: Creating Usable, Effective Error Messages," Emily Wilska, WritersUA.com:
www.winwriters.com/articles/
message/index.html

Indexing

American Society of Indexers
www.asindexing.org

Index-L Listserv

To suscribe, send an email with the contents: suscribe INDEX-L (your name) to: listserv@bingvmb.
cc.binghampton.edu

Book - Indexing: A Nuts-and-Bolts Guide for Technical Writers
www.williamandrews.com/titles/
tech_writers.htmldefault.htm

TermTree indexing software
www.termtree.com.au

MultiTes indexing software
www.multites.com

Localization and Translation

American Translators Association
www.atanet.org

MultilingualWebmaster.com
www.multilingualwebmaster.com

MultilingualWebmaster.com was created to provide an open forum for developers and managers of multilingual web sites. Our goal is to share information and innovation and to promote "best practices" in multilingual web site design.

Single Sourcing/Content Management

Association for Information and Image Management International
www.aiim.org

@Brint.com
www.brint.com

The Delphi Group
www.delphigroup.com

Documentum
www.documentum.com

FileNET
www.filenet.com

International Digital Enterprise Alliance
www.idealliance.org/

Hyperknowledge
www.hyperknowledge.com

KMWorld
www.kmworld.com

Verity
www.verity.com

Style Guides
Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications
Microsoft download site 2nd Edition (Version 3)
 
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Information Design
General Design Resources

Saul Carliner's website
saulcarliner.home.att.net/id/

Processes, techniques, and models of information design focusing on designing and dveloping content including worksheets for preparing an information plan, instructions for setting objectives and planning an evaluation, guidelines for choosing a "type" of communication product and media, and issues to consider when setting editorial guidelines. saulcarliner.home.att.net/idbusiness

Various resources on the business and management of information design groups including worksheets for setting budgets and schedules, tips on starting a successful work team, and an overview of the production and maintenance phases.

EPSS InfoSite
www.pcd-innovations.com

Human Factors International
www.humanfactors.com

Human Factors International offers user-centered design consulting, training, and products

Idea Watch
www.ideawatch.org

Web site that focuses on Information Design gurus, books, ideas, and best practices. Offers advice about how to improve the user experience. Encourages technical communicators/information designers to be more intellectual and think more critically.

Intranet Resources
www.intrack.com/intranet
Morkes, J. and Nielsen, J. (1997). "Concise, SCANNABLE, and objective: how to write for the Web."
www.useit.com/papers/
webwriting/writing.html

"Eye movement tracking research." Stanford Poynter Project.
www.poynter.org/eyetrack2000/
Accessibility
Microsoft Windows Guidelines for Accessible Software Design
msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?
url=/nhp/Default.asp?contentid=28000544
Section 508 Website
www.section508.gov
WAI Website
www.w3.org/WAI
The Web Accessibility Initative homepage features the latest information on making your website accessible for everyone.
Screen Reader Simulation
www.webaim.org/simulations/screenreader
This website provides examples of what it is like for visual impaired users to access the web using a program called a screen reader.
Low Vision Simulation
www.webaim.org/simulations/lowvision.php
This website simulaties what it is like to view a webpage as someone with a visual imparement might see it.
The Bobby Validation Tool
www.cast.org/bobby
A free service that will check your website and expose any accessibility issues.
Remove colors, CSS, and check ALT tags
www.508compliant.com/tools.htm
A set of demo tools that check the ease of use of your website.
"Delivering Inclusive Websites"
http://coi.gov.uk/guidance.php?page=130
Standards and guidance on producing public sector websites from the Central Office of Information.
Programming Languages
Java

Sun Microsystems
java.sun.com

Home page for JavaSoft, the subsidiary of Sun Microsystems that is developing Java. It contains many links to other sources of information about Java.

Gamelan and Jars
www.gamelan.com
www.jars.com

Great sources for Java information and products, especially for developers.

Netscape
developer.netscape.com/tech/java

Netscape's Java Developer Central

1st Java Navigator 5.0: Auscomp
www.auscomp.com

Adds Java tab and tree navigation control to Web pages. Features include unlimited tabs; choice of tab location (top or bottom); customizable fonts, colors, and images.

HelpIndex: PHD Computer Consultants Ltd.
www.phdcc.com

An applet for navigating through collections of HTML documents, with contents tree, server-independent keyword indexing, and index table selection. Version 2.1.0.

IMINT.COM
www.imint.com

Applet menus and Java information management systems for websites and intranets are our sole speciality. 30 products across 6 ranges serve every need and every pocket.

HTMLSearch:MandoSoft
www.bigfoot.com/~mandosoft

Lite (free) and Pro (shareware) versions. Both allow you to search HTML pages that are stored on a CD, LAN, etc., or on a Web server.

Hi Spy:PHD Computer Consultants Ltd
www.phdcc.com/hispy

Full-text search applet for CD-ROMs.

Home Page Search: Babbage
www.babbage.demon.co.uk

Free, client-side search applet for HTML documents.

Quest Agent
www.jobjects.com/products/questagent

Enables fast document searching from any Java-compatible browser without a server. Current version uses SWISH index files to find documents. Quest Agent is especially suitable for publishing HTML documents on a CD-ROM or a floppy disk. (SWISH is a popular software for indexing collections of Web pages or other text files, and it's free: sunsite.berkeley.edu/SWISH-E.)

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Professional Organizations

ACM
www.acm.org/sigs
sigchi.org/listserv

Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction


LISTSERV@ACM.ORG

ACM mailing list that carries both academic and commercial announcements of events, web sites, products, and services of direct interest to the CHI community. The list is a moderated, announcements-only list called CHI-RESOURCES. Subscribe by sending "subscribe chi-resources YOUR_NAME-HERE" as the body of a message to LISTSERV@ACM.ORG.

Fullfont.com
www.fullfont.com

Informative resources for technical communicators and computer information systems professionals.

HTML Writers Guild
www.hwg.org

The world's largest international organization of Web authors with over 110,000 members in more than 150 nations worldwide.

Society for Technical Communication
www.stc.org

Tech Pubs - Resources for Technical Writers
www.techpubs.com/resources.html

TC Library
tc.eserver.org

TECHWR-L Forum
www.raycomm.com/techwhirl

Australian Society for Technical Communication
Victoria: www.astcvic.org.au
New South Wales: www.astcnsw.org.au

Technical Communicators Assoc. of New Zealand
www.tcanz.org.nz

TECHWR-L Mailing List Archive
www/cpub.com/archives/
techwrit-l/techwrit-l.html

KeyContent.org
www.keycontent.org/
tiki-custom_home.php

Association of Information Technology Professionals
www.aitp.org

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Usability

Jakob Nielsen's Usable Information Technology
www.useit.com

Article - Secondary Windows in Online Help - What Do Users Really Make of Them?
www.stcsig.org/usability/newsletter/
0101-secondary-windows.html

Article - Toward Usable Browser Hierarchies for the Web
www.microsoft.com/usability/
UEPostings/HCI-kirstenrisden.doc

Usability.gov
www.usability.gov

Resource for designing usable, useful, and accessible web sites and user interfaces.

Usability Professionals' Association
www.upsassoc.org

Usability References
www.usability.com/umi_links.htm

User Interface Engineering
www.uie.com

WebWord Usability Consulting
www.webword.com

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Graphics

LuminEssence
www.zzpixel.com

Free graphics site with hundreds of coordinated websets, buttons, bars, and icons.

W3C Graphics on the Web
www.w3.org/Graphics/

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Wireless

Microsoft Pocket PC
www.microsoft.com/mobile/
pocketpc/default.asp

Wireless Applications Protocol (WAP) Forum
www.wapforum.org

Wireless Markup Language (WML) Specification
www.oasis-open.org/
cover/wap-wml.html

 

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