We have closed the call for speakers to the DITA Europe conference and are reviewing proposals.  The submissions are really wonderful this year and we're looking forward to presenting another great conference. Our hope is to have the agenda posted online by the end of this month. We'll begin to notify speakers within the next two weeks.

This year the conference we be held at the Holiday Inn Munich - City Centre, November 16-17. For those of you interested in attending this conference, our registration page posted has been posted online at http://www.infomanagementcenter.com/DITAeurope/2009/register.htm.  For any one still interested in participating in this conference, we are also still looking for exhibitors and sponsors. You can find more information online at http://www.infomanagementcenter.com/DITAeurope/2009/index.htm or contact me directly via email lovonya@....

The DITA Europe Call for Speakers is scheduled to close Monday, 24 August 2009. Please take a moment to submit your presentation proposal on the conference website, http://www.infomanagementcenter.com/DITAeurope/2009/callforspeakers.htm.

We welcome discussions of selecting a DITA solution, implementing DITA in your organizations, as well as technical topics about DITA processing, specialization, and so on.

The 5th Annual DITA Europe Conference will be held 16-17 November 2009 in Munich, Germany.

Additional conference details are available on our website, http://www.infomanagementcenter.com/DITAeurope/2009/index.htm.

We look forward to seeing you at DITA Europe 2009!

Location: http://www.x-pubs.com/site/news/1625/
Presenter: Mark Poston
Date: 2 Apr 2009 - 15:00 GMT
Event Type: Webinar

Come and hear a real example of how deploying DITA tools to enterprise users is
not only possible, but can greatly improve the efficiency of your business. For
years organisations have wanted to get Subject Matter Experts creating Business
Documentation in XML so that it can be single-sourced and reused in various
scenarios. DITA XML has proven usable, practical and effective where traditional
XML has struggled to gain ground.

This case study is for anyone involved in the process of creation, publishing
and delivering of different types of business document by non technical and
distributed authors. Mark will explain how the solution allows editors to manage
each report from creation, management of copyright permissions, to final
publication to print and digital distribution, reducing costs and increasing
efficiency.

Mark will discuss the scalable solution adopted by Key Note Ltd., a leading
market research company in the UK, who wanted to improve their efficiency by
moving to an XML-based editorial system. Authors and editors are supplied with a
familiar and easy to use Word environment for authoring XML content. They have
the ability to dynamically render charts, import tables from Microsoft Excel,
and create outputs in a number of formats.

Date: 02 April 2009
Time: 15:00 GMT
Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: Free

In this complimentary Webinar you will learn how through the use of dynamic XML
technologies you can improve efficiencies in:
• the publishing process of market reports
• end to end publishing processes
• publishing process: from authoring to delivery
• publishing process: from author to end user/reader/customer/consumer

URL: http://www.x-pubs.com/site/news/1625/

Not sure why the link got dropped!!
http://www.x-pubs.com/site/news/1613/

Come and join Noz Urbina to get a friendly introduction to the DITA.  This
informative and up
to date session will introduce you to the Darwin Information Typing Architecture
(DITA), the
fastest growing XML standard ever.  DITA lowers barriers to single-sourcing and
content
management by delivering information typing and component strategies out of the
box, with
various templates and style sheets that need only to be customised.

DITA is an information architecture that presents a powerful solution for
information
developers, that is simple enough to use in various scenarios. It is meant for
those who need
to implement structured documentation, including writers, editors, information
architects,
and their managers.  This beginners session will cover the basics of creating
DITA topics,
assembling topics using maps, creating relationship tables, and delivering it
all to various
media.

Date:  Tuesday February 24, 2009
Time:  3:00pm GMT
Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: Free

Join CIDM and Comet Computer for the 4th Annual DITA Europe Conference at the Holiday Inn Munich in Munich, Germany. The conference will be held November 17-18, 2008. Meet publications professionals who have implemented DITA in their organizations and hear from representatives of key tools vendors who are actively supporting the DITA community.

DITA Europe gives you many opportunities to learn about DITA from people who are in the midst of their own implementations. Learn the benefits of managing information as topics and the pitfalls to avoid for success. Come away with an understanding of what DITA is, how it can improve your technical information, and what tools you will need to bring all of it together.

To register online or for more information please visit the conference web site at http://www.infomanagementcenter.com/DITAeurope/index.htm.

--- In dita-uk@..., "Stephane Kalpakjian" <kalpak@...>
wrote:
>
> Hello Group,
>
> I was wondering if there were plans for DITA adopters to gather some
> time next week in the London area, maybe after work.
>
> I'm working in Paris but I'll be in London all next week and since
> there doesn't seem to be any DITA activity in France, I thought of
> posting my message here ;-)
>
> Cheers !
> KalpaK
>
I don't know of any specific meeting for DITA enthusiasts, but if you
are in London on 11th September you are welcome to come along to the
informal social evening organised by the UK & Ireland Chapter of the
STC (see: http://www.stcuk.org/content/view/87/2/). (This invitation
is open to anyone in this group.)

David

Hello Group,

I was wondering if there were plans for DITA adopters to gather some
time next week in the London area, maybe after work.

I'm working in Paris but I'll be in London all next week and since
there doesn't seem to be any DITA activity in France, I thought of
posting my message here ;-)

Cheers !
KalpaK

The Center for Information-Development Management announces the 4th
Annual DITA Europe Conference
November 17-18, 2008, in Munich, Germany.

You can contribute!

The CIDM and Dr. JoAnn Hackos ask you to consider bringing your best
practices to the upcoming DITA Europe conference.

We invite you to share your experiences in content management
strategies, DITA implementation, DITA tools, topic-based authoring,
and
introducing new practices into your organizations.

Please submit your presentation proposal by September 5, 2008 at
http://www.infomanagementcenter.com/DITAeurope/callforspeakers.htm.

If you have questions or would like to learn more, please contact
Anne
Bovard at anne.bovard@..., or call +1-303-232-7586.

Hi, All

I've just booked! Anyone else planning to go?

David


> JoAnn Hackos's Workshop Series announces the DITA: Getting Started
> workshop at the Elvetham in Hartley Wintney, Hampshire United
> Kingdom May 21-22, 2008, taught by Frank Miler.
>
> DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) provides you with an
> open-source OASIS standard to support topic-based authoring of well-
> structured content. Out of the box, DITA encompasses three primary
> information types (concept, task, and reference) that provide a
> structure amenable to most technical information, as well as a
> mechanism for extending the structure to specialize your industry's
> needs.
>
> This workshop is designed as an introduction to Darwin Information
> Typing Architecture (DITA). DITA is an information architecture that
> presents a powerful solution for information developers. It is meant
> for those who need to implement structured documentation, including
> writers, editors, information architects, and their managers.
>
> This workshop will cover the basics of creating DITA topics,
> assembling them into maps, creating relationship tables, and getting
> everything to process for final output. Everything is hands-on. You
> are required to bring a laptop computer and sample documentation to
> complete exercises with. Be prepared to learn how to use a DITA XML
> editor to author topics.
>
> Receive the Introduction to DITA: A Basic User Guide to the Darwin
> Information Typing Architecture book free with registration to this
> workshop.
>
> For more information visit our web site at http://www.comtech-
> serv.com/workshops/index.shtml or contact us at workshops@comtech-
> serv.com or at 303-232-7586.

JoAnn Hackos's Workshop Series announces the DITA: Getting Started
workshop at the Elvetham in Hartley Wintney, Hampshire United
Kingdom May 21-22, 2008, taught by Frank Miler.

DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) provides you with an
open-source OASIS standard to support topic-based authoring of well-
structured content. Out of the box, DITA encompasses three primary
information types (concept, task, and reference) that provide a
structure amenable to most technical information, as well as a
mechanism for extending the structure to specialize your industry's
needs.

This workshop is designed as an introduction to Darwin Information
Typing Architecture (DITA). DITA is an information architecture that
presents a powerful solution for information developers. It is meant
for those who need to implement structured documentation, including
writers, editors, information architects, and their managers.

This workshop will cover the basics of creating DITA topics,
assembling them into maps, creating relationship tables, and getting
everything to process for final output. Everything is hands-on. You
are required to bring a laptop computer and sample documentation to
complete exercises with. Be prepared to learn how to use a DITA XML
editor to author topics.

Receive the Introduction to DITA: A Basic User Guide to the Darwin
Information Typing Architecture book free with registration to this
workshop.

For more information visit our web site at http://www.comtech-
serv.com/workshops/index.shtml or contact us at workshops@comtech-
serv.com or at 303-232-7586.

Hi, All

At the STC's recent DITA event, we were given a demo of IBM's Task
Modeller. So I thought I'd go looking for it!

Please be advised that in US English, the word is 'Modeler', with one
'l'. Trying to search for 'Modeller' with 2 'll's produces NO
results! That is, on the eclipse and IBM's developerworks sites. If
I'd just used Google, ironically it would have saved some time, as it
can handle different spellings.

Anyway, if you're interested, the site is:

http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/tech/taskmodeler/

All the best,
David

BTW, if you know of any company looking to recruit someone with DITA
experience, just let me know! ;-)

Hi, Ant

Good to meet up over the w/e, and fascinating chatting about your
Specialis(z)ation plans. I can't help thinking that this is one for
dita-users, though. In case you used one email to both lists, I don't
think Yahoo allows you to do this.

Thanks for organising a very interesting event.

I had a very brief chat with someone here yesterday, and it might be
possible that DITA is back on the cards. I sure hope so, otherwise I'm
off! (Contractor mentality!)

All the best,
David


> I'm fairly convinced that DITA is the way to go, as its inheritance is
> attractive, as is the ability to adapt it through specialization.
>
> I work in a standards and research organization, where there is
> probably way more reuse than people believe - or at least the
> potential for it if properly organized.  However, this is going to
> need structural specialization, and it  may not be a subject we can
> tackle as a company on our own.
>
> For background research I'd be interested in hearing from people who
> are involved in producing research-based documentation, where 'the
> task' is not the centre of the universe.  Alternatively, if anybody is
> considering using XML to develop standards documentation, I would be
> very interested in hearing from you.
>
> These are areas that DITA will have to get into eventually, and as it
> is open source I would far rather work as part of a team to come up
> with a proposal that meets many needs, and not just ours.
>
> Best regards,
> Ant Davey
> Senior Technical Writer
> Rail Safety and Standards Board
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>

I'm fairly convinced that DITA is the way to go, as its inheritance is
attractive, as is the ability to adapt it through specialization.

I work in a standards and research organization, where there is
probably way more reuse than people believe - or at least the
potential for it if properly organized.  However, this is going to
need structural specialization, and it  may not be a subject we can
tackle as a company on our own.

For background research I'd be interested in hearing from people who
are involved in producing research-based documentation, where 'the
task' is not the centre of the universe.  Alternatively, if anybody is
considering using XML to develop standards documentation, I would be
very interested in hearing from you.

These are areas that DITA will have to get into eventually, and as it
is open source I would far rather work as part of a team to come up
with a proposal that meets many needs, and not just ours.

Best regards,
Ant Davey
Senior Technical Writer
Rail Safety and Standards Board

--- In dita-uk@..., "Ian Larner" <ian_larner@...> wrote:
>
> The UK chapter of the STC is hosting a two-day seminar and workshop on
> XML, DITA and the use of FrameMaker for round-tripping XML documents.
> Special guest speakers will be Indi Liepa of Nokia, telling it from
   > the user's viewpoint, and experienced trainer/consultant Alan
Houser  > of Group Wellesley. The two-day event takes place in
Manchester,      > England on Saturday and Sunday 10/11 November 2007.
>
> For full details of the event, please see the STC UK website at
> http://www.stcuk.org//content/view/5/1/
>
> Regards,
> Ian
>
Early indications are that this event was a success for everybody.
The fact that we welcomed visitors from Iceland and Sweden suggests
that the subject is definitely of interest.  Delegates included those
still thinking about or in the early stages of implementation, through
experienced XML users looking at what DITA could add, to those who are
already using DITA and wanted to know more.

Initial feedback suggests that everybody went away with something
useful, so I hope that everybody thinks it was worth their time.  It
also shows that there is interest in DITA, and varying levels of
experience and expertise in the UK that I hope we can make use of on
this list.

Best regards,
Ant

The UK chapter of the STC is hosting a two-day seminar and workshop on
XML, DITA and the use of FrameMaker for round-tripping XML documents.
Special guest speakers will be Indi Liepa of Nokia, telling it from the
user's viewpoint, and experienced trainer/consultant Alan Houser of
Group Wellesley. The two-day event takes place in Manchester, England on
Saturday and Sunday 10/11 November 2007.

There is an "early bird" booking discount until 19th October 2007.

For full details of the event, please see the STC UK website at
http://www.stcuk.org//content/view/5/1/

Regards,
Ian

Welcome to the DITA UK Users Group.  I hope that you find it a useful
venue for discussing UK-related use of the Darwin Information Typing
Architecture (DITA).

Regards,
Ian