Hi all,



Dave Hickey asked: <<I'm noticing that many contracts and jobs in

the technical documentation field require an understanding of

programming code. This has always been a weakness for me in my career

since I haven't coded anything since the 80s (in basica of all

things). If I wanted to learn how to write software code so that I'd

be able to write SDK or API documentation, or simply to be able to

read code in order to write the documentation, how would I start

learning that?>>



Most books and courses on programming are trying to teach you how to
program. Their focus is on solving problems and constructing algorithms.



But that's not what technical writers need. We need to know just enough
about programming and the programming language (C, C++, Java, ...) to write
the documentation. That's quite different - and quite a lot easier to learn.



<Self-promotion_alert!>



Well, it just so happens that I give two one-day workshops on that topic:



. Just Enough Java
(http://www.gordonandgordon.com/java_workshop_details.html)

. Just Enough C and C++
(http://www.gordonandgordon.com/c_plus_workshop_details.html)



I'm always pleased to deliver these workshops to groups of technical
writers.



But for Just Enough Java, there is an alternative.



Yes folks, you can bring Manny Gordon right into your living room with Just
Enough Java: Workshop-on-a-DVD!
(http://www.thirdwavestudios.com/gg/java_video.html).



Marc Proulx of Third Wave studios (marc@...) has done a
remarkable job of trimming a one-day workshop into a three hour, 40
minute-long set of DVDS. The package includes the workbook and the
exercises.



</self-promotion_alert!>



I hope this helps, Dave. And thanks for running this forum!



--- Manny



======================================

Manuel Gordon

-- Partner --

Gordon & Gordon

"Technical Writing for the Real World"

--------------------------------------

(514) 934-3274

Fax: (514) 934-6077

www.gordonandgordon.com

manuel@...

personal: manuel_gordon@...

======================================





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