Recent News

MadCap Releases Flare version 6 (Fri, 05 Mar 2010)

MadCap’s latest version 6 of its Flare authoring tool features a new mobile output target, allowing content creators to publish their documentation to mobile handsets. A built-in mobile simulator lets authors test their mobile output within Flare if they don’t have access to the actual devices. The Web-based XHTML output has also been optimised to improve performance on low-bandwidth connections. Other features and changes include a link viewer, template improvements including the addition of a Template Manager, upgrades to the TOC editor, Import and Convert Multiple HTML Pages, and enhanced multimedia support. The MadPak Suite has also been updated with new versions of Blaze, Echo, Analyzer and X-Edit.

New Workflow Management Module for 4.ST HelpServer (Mon, 15 Feb 2010)

4.ST have released a new Workflow Management module for HelpServer, a web-based enterprise content management system for help and documentation. 4.ST is now focussing development effort on the planned DITA Support and Snippets functionality scheduled for a March release. HelpServer is a web-based content management system that enables companies with dispersed authoring teams to work closely together on documentation-projects through a web-based platform. The Workflow Management module will allow HelpServer administrators to define the flow of tasks to be performed by different team-members on folders and topics. A trial version of HelpServer is available.

Inmedius Release iConvert, for the Conversion of Complex Technical Documents (Mon, 01 Feb 2010)

iConvert is a software tool for the conversion of documents into structured XML. It supports conversion from legacy paper, Microsoft Word, and PDF files. iConvert comes pre-configured extensive out-of-the-box XML conversion of original S1000D, 40051B and ATA documents, and supports any Document Type Definitions (DTD) or XML schema. iConvert synchronises the original document with the converted XML document in a multi-pane, on-screen display. This unique approach to XML conversion allows for the continuous fine-tuning of document conversion rules for increased automated transfer, and more efficient production completion rates for the entire project.

instinctools Releases DITA Visual Specialization Manager (Sat, 02 Jan 2010)

instinctools have launched the DITA Visual Specialization Manager (DVSM) product. The DVSM software designed to help Information Architects to develop and maintain project-specific documentation models (DITA Specialisations). The software makes complex DITA specialisation tasks easier through its user-friendliness and hence opens a new dimension in customisation of DITA to specific needs. This breaks down a significant barrier to DITA adoption. This software is available either as a stand-alone application or as a part of DITAworks, the structured documentation tool from instinctools. The stand-alone application can be used for working with DITA based information models that can be later exported in other DITA tools for further use.

Amazon Sells More eBook than Paper Books (Thu, 31 Dec 2009)

On Christmas Day, for the first time ever, Amazon customers purchased more Kindle books in a day than physical (paper) books. Amazon's Kindle Store now includes over 390,000 titles. Amazon also sold more Kindle reading devices in the lead-up to Christmas than any other electronic device, including the iPod Touch. Competitor bookseller Barnes and Noble have launched their own eBook reader, named Nook.

Darwin Venue for AODC 2010 Conference (Wed, 16 Dec 2009)

The 13th annual Australasian Online Documentation and Content Conference, AODC 2009, will be held in the famous city of Darwin in Australia's spectacular Northern Territory. The event, to be held at the Palms City Resort right in the centre of the northern capital, will run from Wednesday 12th to Friday 14th May. AODC is the event of the year for anyone involved in corporate documentation, online Help, content management, Web authoring, DITA (fittingly!) and other forms of technical writing.

Vasont releases version 12.2 of CMS (Tue, 15 Dec 2009)

Vasont Systems announces the latest release of their Vasont Content Management System. This release focuses on enhancing productivity for writers managing modular content using DITA, other industry-standard and custom DTDs. New features include terminology management, content branching, and additional reporting capabilities. This release is available on December 14, 2009 for both the perpetual license and hosted (SaaS) content management system models.

User Assistance Tools Survey Open (Sun, 13 Dec 2009)

The WritersUA Tools Survey is now open. This survey provides a look at the tools technical communicators use and the value they place on this. The results of the WritersUA Surveys are publicly posted for anyone's consumption. Please contribute your experiences.

Author-it 5.3 Update Released (Sun, 13 Dec 2009)

Author-it Software has announced the release of updates 5.3.206 (for Author-it Live) and 5.3.207 (for Author-it and Author-it Service Manager). These update releases have addressed some gaps in the embedded topic functionality, as well as introducing minor improvements and bug fixes. The update is available at no cost to all clients with a current maintenance plan. To help users better understand the embedded topic feature, Author-it have included a "Best Practice Guide on Embedded Topics", containing key "how to" guidance on rules, basic actions, styles and tables when working with embedded topics.