I use Captivate for a good amount of my business and my clients are very pleased with its output. It kept me from having to become a complete Flash guru in order to create simple Flash-based software demos.

Reconciling this with my penchant for using MadCap’s Flare software it must be understood that I back the best product for the best price. Right now I am a fan of Captivate, however there are some issues to consider, including the longevity of the product’s output.

Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve had several new clients talk to me about how to get their best bang for the buck when starting a SOHO-based web presence. Since Technical Communication is best built with a community in mind, this also fits for most Tech Writers and basically anyone willing to accept feedback.

With few exceptions, I recommend blogging. Here’s a great resource on corporate blogging etiquette that I found online quoted from http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/company-blogging-101/:

Company blogging 101

The easiest time to make a blogging gaffe is when you’re starting out. When you’re about to start blogging, ramp up slowly:
1) Ask someone experienced to read the first several blog posts you do. They can flag inaccuracies or tell you if you misjudged the tone of a post.
2) Write a few posts that you’re willing to throw away. You still get the practice, but without as much pressure.
3) Do a guest post or two on someone else’s blog first. At Google, we have lots of official blogs. It’s better to try things out as a guest before you step into the spotlight on your own blog.
4) Practice on forums first. For example, Google has a lot of discussion and help forums where Googlers chime in from time to time. For Googlers, that’s a great place to start. For other companies, find the most relevant forum and practice chatting with people (make it clear that you work for your company so that people don’t think you’re astroturfing).

blog,corporate blog,blogging 101,SOHO,web 2.0,technical communication