Central Austin STC Lunch 5/28 - Whole Foods

Join us for the Central Austin STC networking lunch. STC networking lunches are an informal way to meet your fellow tech writers. There is no program, no agenda, just food and conversation.

Please join us at Whole Foods at about 11:30 AM on Wednesday, 5/28/2008. For those who haven't eaten at Whole Foods, yet, browse the various buffet options and fix your plate, grab a drink, then go through the regular or express checkout line to pay for it. Janet Swisher will be at a table near the escalator, outside if the weather is good, or inside if it isn't. Look for the STC sign on the table.

See you there!

Whole Foods is at 525 N. Lamar Blvd.

STC 2008 Technical Communication Summit

The annual STC national conference is in Philadelphia, PA from June 1 - 4. It's not too late to register.

May 6th Networking Event

After the Tuesday, May 6 chapter meeting, we will hang out and socialize at Kona Grill in the Domain. Join us for networking, dinner, and drinks from 7:45-9:00 PM. Hope to see you there!

North Austin STC Lunch - 5/13 Tinos @ Arbor Walk

Join us for the North Austin STC networking lunch.

STC networking lunches are an informal way to meet your fellow tech writers. There is no program, no agenda, just food and conversation.

Please join us at the Arbor Walk location of Tinos Greek Cafe at about 11:30 AM on Tuesday, 5/13/2008. Go through the line then look for the STC sign on a table.

See you there!

Tinos at the Arbor Walk is at 10515 N MoPac. (East side of MoPac between Braker and 360.)

Check my restaurant review blog for a rambling conversational podcast about a visit to Tinos.

Central Austin STC Lunch - Whole Foods 4/23

Join us for the Central Austin STC networking lunch. STC networking lunches are an informal way to meet your fellow tech writers. There is no program, no agenda, just food and conversation.

Please join us at Whole Foods at about 11:30 AM on Wednesday, 4/23/2008. For those who haven't eaten at Whole Foods, yet, browse the various buffet options and fix your plate, grab a drink, then go through the regular or express checkout line to pay for it. Janet Swisher will be at a table near the escalator, outside if the weather is good, or inside if it isn't. Look for the STC sign on the table.

See you there!

Whole Foods is at 525 N. Lamar Blvd.

Vote in the STC election by noon today

Updated to add: the voting is now closed. Thanks for voting!
From Hillary Hart:
As this glorious April drenches central Texas in sunlight, low humidity, and cool temperatures, let me exhort you to VOTE in the current STC election.

Yes, I’m running for the Board, but this message is about the critical importance of voting as a way of receiving the most bang from STC for your buck. STC is newly re-energized under a new, dynamic director, and you have the opportunity to ensure that the new services (such as insurance, proactive business partnerships, and state-of-the-art webinars) continue and expand.

STC is your professional association, your partner in the workplace, the classroom, the training room, and the executive suite. Help STC make strategic decisions that benefit you – vote for its leaders. Vote at: https://eballot3.votenet.com/stc/login.cfm by noon (EDT) on April 14, 2008.

Take the 2008 Austin STC Salary Survey

Take a few minutes to fill out the Austin-area salary survey on surveymonkey.com.

This year's survey is only 9 pages long (and if you're salaried, it's only about 5 pages). It includes telecommuting hours as well as the usual benefits questions, and does not make you indicate a zip code.

Take it yourself if you're in the Austin area, or send it to your Austin writer friends to fill out if you've already completed it. We had over 150 responses last year. The data is more useful as the number of responses increase, so be sure to fill it out to add to the statistics.

North Austin STC Lunch - 4/8 Zuzu

Join us for the North Austin STC networking lunch.

STC networking lunches are an informal way to meet your fellow tech writers. There is no program, no agenda, just food and conversation.

Please join us at the MoPac location of Zuzu Homade Mexican Food at about 11:30 AM on Tuesday, 4/8/2008. Go through the line then look for the STC sign on a table.

See you there!

Zuzu is at 5770 N MoPac. (Southbound, take the 2222 exit; it's on the right. Northbound, take 2222, cross over, turn right on Balcones Drive and turn right to enter the parking lot from the back.)

ZuzuAustin.com

April 1 Networking Event

Please join us after the Tuesday, April 1 Chapter meeting at North by Northwest Restaurant and Brewery.

From 7:45-9:00 PM we will hang out and socialize.

Location:
Behind the Gateway Shopping Center at Capital of Texas Highway and Stonelake Boulevard.
There are two distinctive grain silos out front.
10010 Capital of TX Hwy N
Austin, TX 78759
512-467-6969
http://www.nxnwbrew.com/directions.php

Hope to see you there!

Central Austin STC Lunch - Whole Foods 3/26

Join us for the Central Austin STC networking lunch. STC networking lunches are an informal way to meet your fellow tech writers. There is no program, no agenda, just food and conversation.

Please join us at Whole Foods at about 11:30 AM on Wednesday, 3/26/2008. For those who haven't eaten at Whole Foods, yet, browse the various buffet options and fix your plate, grab a drink, then go through the regular or express checkout line to pay for it. Janet Swisher will be at a table near the escalator, outside if the weather is good, or inside if it isn't. Look for the STC sign on the table.

See you there!

Whole Foods is at 525 N. Lamar Blvd.

STC Austin's own Leah Eaton wins for most invites with The Content Wrangler Community on Ning

Austin's STC President Leah Eaton has won a free conference registration by inviting the most people in four days to the new Content Wrangler Community on Ning. Congratulations Leah!

Here's the list of conferences she gets to select from:

• Internet World, April 29 - May 1, 2008, London, UK
• Content Management Strategies | DITA North America Conference, Santa Clara, CA, April 7-9, 2008
• Documentation and Training West 2008, Vancouver, BC, May 6-9, 2008
• Web Content 2008, Chicago, IL, June 17-18, 2008
• Documentation and Training Life Sciences, Indianapolis, IN, June 23-26, 2008
• X-Pubs, London, UK, June 22-24, 2008

In case you're curious about the origins of the name "Ning," Ning means peace in Chinese. That's your trivia for the day.

Leah, we expect a full trip report, and inquiring minds want to know which conference you've selected. I'm speaking at DocTrain West in May, hint, hint. :)

North Austin STC Lunch - Firebowl 3/11

Join us for the North Austin STC networking lunch.

STC networking lunches are an informal way to meet your fellow tech writers. There is no program, no agenda, just food and conversation.

Due to popular demand, we're trying out some other locations this year. For March we will hit the Arboretum location of the Firebowl Cafe. Please join us at about 11:30 AM on Tuesday, 3/11/2008. Go through the line then look for the STC sign on a table. See you there!

Firebowl Cafe is at 9828 Great Hills Trail. (Off 183, go south on Great Hills Trail and turn west on Jollyville Road. It's on the right.)

FirebowlCafe.com

Summer Internships from Texas Tech

A number of Texas Tech junior-and senior-level students in the Technical
Communication program (about 10) are seeking employment as interns this
summer. They have varying backgrounds in management, public relations,
marketing, and other technical communication areas, and are interested
in applying their classroom learning to real-world challenges in
documentation, editing, content management, web design and other
technical communication work.

Please let me know if you are aware of any internships or summer
employment opportunities through your STC members. Requirements for
internship employers are only that they use our interns in
communication-related work, and are open to students wanting to learn on
the job. We value our industry partners in helping our students prepare
for the tc workplace.

Students will be taking ENGL 4378, Technical Communication Internship
during the summer via distance, so they can work in Dallas, San Antonio,
Houston, and Austin and complete the course online at TTU.

I will have a list of intern resumes by the end of February.

Click on the title of this post, above, for more information.

Thank you,

Dr. Thomas Barker
Director of Technical Communication
Texas Tech University
P. O. Box 43091
Lubbock, TX 79409
806 742-2500 ext. 279

Central Austin STC Lunch - Whole Foods 2/27

Join us for the Central Austin STC networking lunch. STC networking lunches are an informal way to meet your fellow tech writers. There is no program, no agenda, just food and conversation.

Please join us at Whole Foods at about 11:30 AM on Wednesday, 2/27/2008. For those who haven't eaten at Whole Foods, yet, browse the various buffet options and fix your plate, grab a drink, then go through the regular or express checkout line to pay for it. Janet Swisher will be at a table near the escalator, outside if the weather is good, or inside if it isn't. Look for the STC sign on the table.

See you there!

Whole Foods is at 525 N. Lamar Blvd.

March 4th Chapter Meeting and Program

Document Security
Ron Mendell

When: Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Where: University of Texas J. J. Pickle Research Campus, Commons Center

6:00-6:30 PM: Networking

6:30-7:30 PM: Program

7:45-9:00 PM: Networking Dinner at California Pizza Kitchen in the Domain (near Macy's).

Ron will discuss how information thieves steal intellectual property and proprietary information from businesses and organizations and the impact these crimes can have on technical writers.

Ron is the author of several books on this subject. Check out:
http://www.ccthomas.com/details.cfm?P_ISBN13=9780398073893 or amazon. com

North Austin STC Lunch - 2/12 Zuzu

Join us for the North Austin STC networking lunch.

STC networking lunches are an informal way to meet your fellow tech writers. There is no program, no agenda, just food and conversation.

Due to popular demand, we're trying out some other locations this year. For February we will hit the MoPac location of Zuzu Homade Mexican Food. Please join us at about 11:30 AM on Tuesday, 2/12/2008. Go through the line then look for the STC sign on a table.

See you there!

Zuzu is at 5770 N MoPac. (Southbound, take the 2222 exit; it's on the right. Northbound, take 2222, cross over, turn right on Balcones Drive and turn right to enter the parking lot from the back.)

ZuzuAustin.com

February 5th Chapter Meeting and Program

Four Candles - Just What is Simplified Technical English?
Alan J. Porter

When: Tuesday, February 5, 2008

6:00-6:30 PM: Networking

6:30-7:30 PM: Program

7:45-9:00 PM: Networking Dinner at Kona Grill in the Domain

You may have heard of Simplified Technical English as a way of writing your Technical Publications in order to reduce translation costs, but it applying the concepts of STE can bring benefits to all your technical writing whether they are translated or not. This presentation will cover the story behind the development of STE, plus introduce its basic concepts and explain how you can start applying them and improve the quality of your technical documentation immediately.

Alan J. Porter has 20 plus years in Corporate Publishing in the UK and USA. He has been involved in the development and adoption of various publishing standards and has been a regular speaker at industry conferences. He has held senior management positions at various publishing software and services companies, allied with extensive consulting experience. He is currently VP-Operations for The Quadralay Corporation as well as being President and Founder of the 4J's Group. His client base has included Boeing, Canadian Government, Forbes, McGraw-Hill, Mercedes, Sun, UK Royal Air Force and many other Fortune 1000 companies. He is a published author with a couple of books and several magazine articles to his name.

Central Austin STC Lunch 1/23 - Whole Foods

Join us for the Central Austin STC networking lunch. STC networking lunches are an informal way to meet your fellow tech writers. There is no program, no agenda, just food and conversation.

Please join us at Whole Foods at about 11:30 AM on Wednesday, 1/23/2008. For those who haven't eaten at Whole Foods, yet, browse the various buffet options and fix your plate, grab a drink, then go through the regular or express checkout line to pay for it. Janet Swisher will be at a table near the escalator, outside if the weather is good, or inside if it isn't. Look for the STC sign on the table.

See you there!

Whole Foods is at 525 N. Lamar Blvd.
www.wholefoods.com

January 8th Networking Event

After the Tuesday, January 8th meeting we will hang out and socialize at Baby A's. Join us for networking, dinner, and drinks from 7:45-9:00 PM.

Location:
Baby Acapulco #5
9505-B Stonelake Blvd. Austin, Tx 78759
PH:(512)795-9000
Fax:(512) 795-9056

Map:
http://www.babyacapulco.com/d/4613016_37750.htm

North Austin STC Lunch - 1/15 Fuddruckers

Join us for the North Austin STC networking lunch.

STC networking lunches are an informal way to meet your fellow tech writers. There is no program, no agenda, just food and conversation.

Please join us at Fuddruckers at about 11:30 AM on Tuesday, 1/15/2008. Go through the line then look for the STC sign on a table.

See you there!

Fuddruckers is at 2700 West Anderson Lane.
Fuddruckers.com

January Chapter Meeting and Program

Learning Our ABCs: Accessibility, Bottlenecks, and Control in an Organized Research Unit's Website

Dr. Clay Spinuzzi
University of Texas at Austin

When: Tuesday, January 8, 2008

6:00-6:30 PM: Networking

6:30-7:30 PM: Program

7:45-9:00 PM: Networking Dinner at Baby A's (see post)

In this case study, Dr. Clay Spinuzzi describes a public archive of work done at the Computer Writing and Research Lab at the University of Texas at Austin. The CWRL's website has long been an important resource for computers and writing scholarship, but in 2004, it faced new challenges. On one hand, the site had to conform to new accessibility guidelines, guidelines that are sometimes difficult to follow. On the other hand, the site's users ranged from expert HTML coders to neophytes, all of whom had knowledge to contribute. These two factors had caused a severe bottleneck with the previous, static website, causing delays and leading to slow site development. The solution was to use an open-source content management system to develop a new site in which accessibility guidelines are programmed and enforced, allowing anyone with an account to contribute accessible portions to the site while retaining centralized control over the site's web standards. Dr. Spinuzzi concludes with thoughts about open systems and their potential to improve accessible, distributed site development in similar organizations.

Upcoming Seminar Hosted by Dallas STC

On Friday, Dec. 14, the Lone Star STC is offering a full-day seminar, Intuitive images: creating and evaluating usable graphics, presented by Patrick Hofmann.

For more information, check out the STC Lone Star web site.

Calling all local tech writer-related bloggers

I'd like to collect some more news and blog feeds for the revamped STC Austin website. Here's the list of local bloggers that I have so far. Please, let me know if you'd like your blog feed added to the list. Leave a comment here with your name, blog URL, and blog feed URL, and I'll add yours.

Having blog and other feeds on the STC Austin website can help job seekers as well - check out the Indeed.com customized RSS feed for Austin-based jobs with writer in the title or description:
All writer jobs in Austin, TX - Indeed.com

Any other relevant RSS feeds? Leave a comment here, we'd love to hear about it.

XSLT, XSL-FO Class coming to Austin in January

I recently took Ken Holman's XSLT and XSL-FO class in San Francisco,
and now I hear that he's bringing the class to Austin in January.
(http://www.cranesoftwrights.com/schedule.htm)

I thought the class was a lot of fun...I had a little bit of XSL
experience, and the class broke it down to basics, corrected my
misunderstandings, and built it back up for me. The exercises were
structured like puzzles and they showed a lot of the nooks and
crannies of XSL. Ken is super knowledgeable about XSL. The class
starts by dissecting the XSL data model and teaching XPath, which made
a lot of sense to me afterwards: you get a strong grounding in how XSL
thinks about data, so that you can troubleshoot problems with XPath
expressions -- which seem to me to be my chief trouble in getting
scripts to work right: writing expressions that select the desired data.

David Cramer, a coworker who has been using XSL heavily for several
years and who recommended the class to me, suggested that you don't want to go in to
the class completely cold -- you'll want to know the basics of XSL, at least. He recommends Jeni Tennison's Beginning XSLT for a start.

--Aaron DaMommio

November 6th Networking Event After Chapter Meeting

After the Tuesday, November 6 meeting, we will hang out and socialize at the California Pizza Kitchen in the Domain (near Macy's). Join us for networking, dinner, and drinks from 7:45-9:00 PM.

Location:
California Pizza Kitchen - The Domain
3401 Esperanza Crossing
Austin, TX 78758
Phone: (512) 836-4400
Next to Macy's

North Austin STC Lunch - 10/9 Fuddruckers

Join us for the North Austin STC networking lunch on the second Tuesday of each month.

STC networking lunches are an informal way to meet your fellow tech writers. There is no program, no agenda, just food and conversation.

Please join us at Fuddruckers at about 11:30 AM on Tuesday, 10/9/2007. Go through the line then look for the STC sign on a table.

See you there!

Fuddruckers is at 2700 West Anderson Lane.
Fuddruckers.com

October 2nd Networking Event After Chapter Meeting

After the Tuesday, October 2 meeting, we will hang out and socialize at Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant. Join us for networking, dinner, and drinks from 7:45-9:00 PM.

Location:
3612 Tudor Boulevard
Austin, TX 78759
Phone: 512.342.8462

Directions From the Pickle Center:

Time: Less than 5 minutes

Turn LEFT onto Burnet Rd to exit JJ Pickle Center.

Turn LEFT onto Braker Lane (1st traffic light).

Turn LEFT onto the FRONTAGE Road for Mopac.

Continue Straight and pass over Capital of Texas Highway.

Buca is in the Shopping Center on the RIGHT (2nd RIGHT is Tudor Rd).

Directions:
http://www.bucadibeppo.com/locations/location.aspx?location=4405

Hope to see you there!

Central Austin STC Lunch 9/25 - Whole Foods

Join us for the Central Austin STC networking lunch. STC networking lunches are an informal way to meet your fellow tech writers. There is no program, no agenda, just food and conversation.

Please join us at Whole Foods at about 11:30 AM on Tuesday, 9/25/2007. For those who haven't eaten at Whole Foods, yet, browse the various buffet options and fix your plate, grab a drink, then go through the regular checkout line to pay for it. Janet Swisher will be at a table near the escalator, outside if the weather is good, or inside if it isn't. Look for the STC sign on the table.

See you there!

Whole Foods is at 525 N. Lamar Blvd.
www.wholefoods.com

Submitting competition entries

While the STC Austin community isn't hosting a technical publications competition or online communication competition this year, there are other STC communities hosting competitions to submit your entries.

It's quite easy and actually cheapest to submit items to the Houston competition, but their deadline is September 12, and that's tomorrow. But, for STC Austin community members wanting to enter, the fee is only $30.
http://www.stc-houston.org/competition.htm

The STC Arkansas website even tells their members to submit to the Kachina (New Mexico) STC community, because they are the hosts for the Region 5 competition. Entries must be postmarked by September 29 and the fee is $70 for STC members, $45 for students.
http://www.stc-nm-kachina.org/NewSite/Competitions/Competitions.htm

If you really can't get your submission together by the end of this month, the Lone Star chapter is holding a competition this year and their deadline is October 10, 2007. Their fee is $75 for STC members and $25 for students.
http://www.stc-dfw.org/pdf/2007Call4Entries.pdf

Win a registration to LavaCon worth $950

There will be a drawing for a free registration to LavaCon at the STC networking Lunch on Tue, 9/11.

The winner at the STC monthly meeting discovered a conflict and has made it available to the chapter again.

For details on the confernence, which runs Oct 27-30 in New Orleans, see LavaCon.org.

Bring a business card to Fuddruckers on Tuesday and maybe you'll win!

9/4 Networking Event After Chapter Meeting

If you can't make the Tuesday, September 4th meeting, feel free to join us for networking later in the evening. From 7:45-9:00 PM we will hang out and socialize at North by Northwest Restaurant and Brewery.

Location:
Behind the Gateway Shopping Center at Capital of Texas Highway and Stonelake Boulevard.
There are two distinctive grain silos out front.
10010 Capital of TX Hwy N
Austin, TX 78759
512-467-6969
http://www.nxnwbrew.com/directions.php

Hope to see you there!