Category Archives: Free

Point

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Point is an extension for Google Chrome and allows a user to easily share links or segments of website content with other Gmail users without needing to sign into their email account.

Technical communicators would benefit from Point in situations that require collaboration such as team projects at work or in school, as the extension streamlines the content sharing process by eliminating the need to open new tabs.

More information is available on the extension’s website, and once Point has been installed, there is an intuitive how-to process in order to teach new users how to optimize Point.

http://www.getpoint.co

DITA

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DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) is an XML markup language created by IBM and used by many technical communication groups.  DITA content is most often created as a task, concept, or reference topic.

How it is useful to technical communicators:

DITA is useful to technical writers and their businesses because it allows for single-sourcing and content reuse.  DITA also allows the writer to focus solely on the content as formatting is determined by the output format.

Where you can learn more about it:

What is DITA and why should you care?

Learn DITA on Your Own

Oasis

DITA Open Tool Kit (for creating DITA outputs)

Other software like it:

Adobe Framemaker

Moodle

Link

Moodle is an integrated system to create personalised learning environments for educators and learners.

How it is useful to technical communicators:

Moodle is more closely related to instructional design. It is used for blended learning, distance education, flipped classroom and other e-learning projects in schools, universities, workplaces and other sectors. Moodle offers a wide range of features that can be used for e-learning like:

  • Integrating videos
  • Linking google docs
  • Building quizzes
  • Calendar
  • Gradebook

Where you can learn more about it:

Moodle

Other software like it:

DigitalChalk
Efront

PureText

Link

PureText is a program which removes formatting from webpages and other documents to paste as plain text without going through Notepad.  This program does not install and is easily started from whereever the user has placed the file by double-clicking on the icon.

How it is useful to technical communicators:

Many a times we need to copy content and paste it to our workspace. In order to remove formatting we need to copy and paste it first to a notepad and then to our workspace. PureText saves this time. Instead of copying it on to another editor we can simply use a different key press combination to paste text which is cleared for formatting.

For applications like Microsoft Word an Adobe Framemaker, where formatting takes a little more time, PureText comes handy as it pastes content with the formatting style which exists on the line that it is pasted to.

Where you can learn more about it:

PureText

Other software like it:

Ditto
CopyQ

oTranscribe

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oTranscribe helps users transcribe audio recordings into text by combining an audio player and word processor onto a single webpage.

How it is useful to technical communicators:

Transcribing audio files can be a time-consuming process, but oTranscribe makes it easier by enabling users to listen to audio files and type at the same time. Users no longer have to juggle multiple windows to switch from listening to word processing.

Where you can learn more about it:

oTranscribe website

Other software like it:

Alternatives to oTranscribe involve the simultaneous use of a word processing program like Microsoft Word and an audio player program such as Audacity or iTunes.