--- title: "I’d Rather Be Writing blog" description: "{% for post in paginator.posts %} {{ post.title }} {{ post.date | date:" canonical_url: https://idratherbewriting.com/page82/index.html --- > For AI agents: a documentation index is available at https://idratherbewriting.com/llms.txt. Markdown versions of all pages are available by appending .md to any page URL. # I’d Rather Be Writing blog [What I Learned About Tech Comm During 2011](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/28/what-i-learned-during-2011/) Dec 28, 2011 • [technical-writing](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-technical-writing), [wikis](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-wikis) This past year I learned a few things. As I approach 2012, I'd like to note what 2011 taught me: Writing documentation in a wiki suits me for the same reasons I enjoy interacting on the web. The web is interactive, alive, dynamic, collaborative, fresh, and unlimited in potential. A wiki, being online, allows me to partake in the same game-like, community-rich environment that I thrive in. It's much better to focus on just a few key proje... [The Urge to Correct: Frustrations with Language Translation and Misuse](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/27/the-urge-to-correct-frustrations-with-language-translation-and-misuse/) Dec 27, 2011 • [technical-writing](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-technical-writing) Hezy Asher The following is a guest post by Hezy Asher, a technical writer at Quest Software Israel. VITO CORLEONE: I want you to use all your powers. And all your skills. I don't want his mother to see him this way. [Removes blanket revealing Sonny's mangled face.] VITO CORLEONE: Look how they massacred my boy. I was barely 14 years old when I saw Godfather I for the first time, almost three decades ago. I can recall the exact month (Ma... [Using Tags to Increase Findability](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/26/using-tags-to-increase-findability/) Dec 26, 2011 • [book-reviews](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-book-reviews), [findability](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-findability) Tagging: People-Powered Metadata for the Social Web I recently read Tagging: People-Powered Metadata for the Social Web (2008), by Gene Smith. Smith dives into tagging as a method for adding metadata to resources, which in turn increases the organization and findability of the resources. Traditional help authoring tools categorize resources through folders (a carryover from Windows folders), whereas web platforms typically use tags. Tags... [What Tools Do Technical Writers Use](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/19/what-tools-do-technical-writers-use/) Dec 19, 2011 • [beginners](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-beginners), [technical-writing](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-technical-writing) Students and others trying to break into technical writing are always wondering what tools they should use. The latest tools survey from WritersUA seems helpful in answering this question. The survey concludes that some of the most popular tools for technical writers are Adobe Acrobat, Camtasia Studio, Adobe Captivate, Dreamweaver, Madcap Flare, Framemaker, Photoshop, Robohelp, Snagit, and Visio. Of these tools, Flare scores highest as a ... [Kanban and Limiting the Scope of Work](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/18/kanban-and-limiting-the-scope-of-work/) Dec 18, 2011 • [technical-writing](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-technical-writing) In Scrum and the Single Writer, Kathee Kuvinka mentions Kanban as a technique implemented in her agile-based company to keep the workload under control. Kathee writes, Kanban is a lean, or just-in-time methodology which is often used in manufacturing for inventory control and, like many good methodologies (including Scrum), originated in Japan. The philosophy is that you should only take on as much work as you have the capacity to perform... [Matrix Foretells Future of Learning](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/15/matrix-foretells-future-of-learning/) Dec 15, 2011 • [technical-writing](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-technical-writing) Apparently the Matrix was somewhat prophetic in showing us the future of learning. The idea that you can download knowledge is becoming more of a reality. According to Fox News: Scientists from Boston University and ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Kyoto, Japan, have used a functional magnetic resonance machine (fMRI) to decode the process of learning. The procedure - known as Decoded Neurofeedback or “DecNef” – stimulates t... [What I Like About Grandpa](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/14/what-i-like-about-grandpa/) Dec 14, 2011 • [family](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-family) [Grandpa Reading Runaway Bunny](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/14/grandpa-reading-runaway-bunny/) Dec 14, 2011 • [family](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-family) [Buffalo on Antelope Island](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/14/buffalo-on-antelope-island/) Dec 14, 2011 • [family](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-family) [Hanging Out at Home](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/14/hanging-out-at-home/) Dec 14, 2011 • [family](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-family) [Sitting Around at Home](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/14/sitting-around-at-home/) Dec 14, 2011 • [family](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-family) [Kids Singing](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/14/kids-singing/) Dec 14, 2011 • [family](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-family) [Misleading Documentation Metrics](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/14/misleading-documentation-metrics/) Dec 14, 2011 • [technical-writing](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-technical-writing) Mark Baker's post, Why documentation analytics may misread, presents an appealing argument about why it doesn't matter if just a few people read the manual. In his post, Mark argues that a small number of key influencers who read the manual can share the knowledge with a much larger group who do not read the manual. The effect of the manual, therefore, disseminates out to a much larger group, even if that group never reads the manual. Mar... [Writing My Last Chapter](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/13/writing-my-last-chapter/) Dec 13, 2011 • [technical-writing](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-technical-writing), [writing](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-writing) I was talking with my wife's uncle last week about writing strategies for fiction, and whether it's better to outline everything ahead of time, or figure it out as you go. The former is apparently called a "plotter" method and the latter a "pantser" method (called pantser because you fly by the seat of your pants). He said there's no right way, but if you're planning to figure it out as you go, it's still a good idea to write your last ch... [Counting Calories](https://idratherbewriting.com/2011/12/11/counting-calories/) Dec 11, 2011 • [family](https://idratherbewriting.com/category-family) A couple of weeks ago, I had to calculate some metrics at work to gauge volunteer efforts. I realized that when I tallied up the metrics, I came to some astonishing revelations about productivity versus management efforts. The experience turned me on to the idea of metrics, and I decided to start keeping track of the food I eat. I downloaded a great iPhone app for this: Fitness Pal. It allows you to keep track of all the calories you're consum... [« Previous](https://idratherbewriting.com/page81/) Page: 82 of 174 [» Next](https://idratherbewriting.com/page83/)