2008-09-05-podcast-whats-new-in-the-field-of-technical-communication.html

---
layout: post
title: 'Podcast: What''s New in the Field of Technical Communication?'
date: 2008-09-05 00:41:29.000000000 -07:00
categories:
- podcasts
tags: []
status: publish
podcast_link: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3?https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/idbwmedia.com/podcasts/writerriversep8_2008.mp3
podcast_length: 47051053
published: true
---

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<p>Having taken a three-month podcasting break, it feels good to be back. In this podcast, I talk with <a href="http://charlesjeter.com">Charles Jeter</a> and <a href="http://heidilhansen.com">Heidi Hansen</a> about what's new in the field of technical communication. See the sections below for the four main topics we discuss. </p>
<p><strong>Note: </strong>If you've never listened to a podcast before, see my brief page on <a href="https://idratherbewriting.com/howtolisten">How to Listen to Podcasts</a>.</p>
<h2>Hosts</h2>
<ul>
<li> Heidi Hansen (see <a href="http://heidilhansen.blogspot.com">Heidi's blog</a>)</li>
<li>Charles Jeteter (see <a href="http://charlesjeter.com">Charles' blog</a>)</li>
<li>Tom Johnson</li>
</ul>
<h2>Major Topics Discussed</h2>
<h3>1. Flossmanuals.net</h3>
<p>Will this new wiki/help authoring/publishing tool hybrid take off?</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://en.flossmanuals.net/">Flossmanuals.net: free manuals about free software</a></li>
<li><a href="http://en.flossmanuals.net/about">About Flossmanuals</a></li>
<li><a href="http://charlesjeter.com/2008/08/30/floss-manuals-acrobat-killer/">Charles' post on Flossmanuals: Getting FLOSSy: Acrobat Killer or HAT Replacement?</a> <a href="http://justwriteclick.com/2008/09/01/booksprint-results/"><br />
</a></li>
<li><a href="http://justwriteclick.com/2008/09/01/booksprint-results/">Anne Gentle on Booksprint Results</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>2. Google Chrome's comic book white paper</h3>
<p>What can technical writers learn from Google's Chrome comic book?</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://blogoscoped.com/google-chrome/">Google's Comic Book White Paper</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.techwr-l.com/archives/0809/techwhirl-0809-00013.html">Discussion of the comic book on Techwr-l</a></li>
</ul>
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<h3>3. "Why I Hate PDFs"</h3>
<p>Is the PDF a dying format?</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://user-assistance.blogspot.com/2008/08/why-i-hate-pdfs.html">"Why I Hate PDFs,"</a> by Mike Hughes</li>
<li><a href="http://www.foulwritersworld.net/blog/?p=93">"Some more PDF Haters,"</a> by Noel Thethy</li>
</ul>
<h3>4. "Technical Writing -- Look Before You Leap"</h3>
<p>Is a career in technical writing incompatible with a secret life as a creative writer?</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.techwr-l.com/node/771">"Technical Writing -- Look Before You Leap,"</a> by Lain Chroust Ehmann</li>
</ul>
<h2>Minor Topics Mentioned</h2>
<p>The following links point to topics briefly mentioned during the podcast:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.articulate.com/">Articulate</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.adobe.com/silke.fleischer/2008/08/leaving_on_a_world_trip.html">Silke Fleisher going around the world</a></li>
<li><a href="http://ativsolutions.com">Silke work with bicycles</a></li>
<li><a href="http://writerriver.com">Writer River</a></li>
<li><a href="https://idratherbewriting.com/2008/08/30/wordpress-as-a-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde-application/">WordPress as a Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde application</a></li>
<li><a href="https://idratherbewriting.com/2008/09/01/on-podcasts-reasons-for-the-break-and-plans-for-the-future/#comment-134052">Pete's comment about the interview style of podcasting</a></li>
<li><a href="https://idratherbewriting.com/2008/04/21/podcast-dita-from-the-perspective-of-someone-actually-using-it/">Interview of a person who actually uses DITA in real life</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.adobe.com/products/captivate/">Captivate</a></li>
<li><a href="http://justwriteclick.com">Anne Gentle's blog</a></li>
<li><a href="http://stc-psc.org/peerreview.php">Uncompetition (Peer Review) at the Puget Sound Chapter</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.howcast.com/">Howcast.com</a></li>
<li><a href="https://idratherbewriting.com/2008/08/05/free-pdf-alternatives-save-yourself-700-and-a-headache/">Free PDF Alternatives</a></li>
<li><a href="https://idratherbewriting.com/wordpress-consulting/">WordPress seminars</a></li>
<li><a href="https://idratherbewriting.com/2008/09/03/flare-4-giveway-enter-to-win-a-free-copy-by-commenting-on-this-post/">Contest to win a free copy of Flare 4</a></li>
<li><a href="https://idratherbewriting.com/2006/10/30/technical-writing-in-india-an-interview-with-sandeep-beepu-from-bangalore-india/">Technical writing in India</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.stc.org/intercom/index.asp">Intercom Online</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.stc.org/pubs/techcommGeneral01.asp">Technical Communication Journal</a></li>
<li><a href="http://stc-suncoast.org/2007/03/01/chat-transcript-march-2007/">Keeping up with the latest technologies</a> (chat transcript)</li>
<li><a href="https://idratherbewriting.com/2008/09/01/on-podcasts-reasons-for-the-break-and-plans-for-the-future/">Reasons for the break in podcasting</a></li>
<li><a href="http://mapmaker.curtrosengren.com/">Curt Rosengren's blog</a></li>
<li><a href="http://madcapsoftware.wordpress.com/">Sharon Burton's blog</a></li>
<li><a href="http://charlesjeter.com/2007/12/27/madcaps-vp-mike-hamilton-speaks-dec-7th-2007/">Charles' podcast with Mike Hamilton last year</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Other Podcasts You Might Like</h2>
<p>If you like the Tech Writer Voices podcast, you'll also like <a href="http://www.itauthor.eu/category/podcasts/">Alistair Christie's IT Author podcast</a> and the <a href="http://dmn.podbean.com/">DMN Communications podcast</a>. Check them out. Alistair has recently posted two new podcasts within the past couple of weeks.</p>
<p>I also enjoy <a href="http://twit.tv/twit">This Week in Tech</a> and the <a href="http://wordpresspodcast.org">WordPress Podcast</a>.</p>