Author Archives: Fionn
The “Hello, World” program is traditionally used to introduce a programming language. Here it is in C#: using System; class Hello { static void Main() { Console.WriteLine(“Hello, World”); } } What’s the file extension? C# source files typically have the file extension .cs. How to compile? You can compile the program with the Microsoft C# […]
Feb
So, you want to write release notes but don’t know where to start? Well pull you a chair and let me give you the lowdown. Download – Release Notes template with sample text. Introduce the release notes with text such as the following: These release notes provide information about the documentation for <your product> <version […]
As the name implies, a derived class originates from another class, which in C# is called a base class. A derived class is a specialization of the base class. A derived class is created from an existing base class. It inherits the member variables and methods of the base class from which it is derived. […]
Technical writing is about getting the small details right. The difference between the almost right word and the right word is the “difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.” Mark Twain So, when writing a user guide, should you say, Run or Execute? From one angle, it doesn’t seem to matter. Everyone knows what you […]
Kai raised an interesting point about which skill (writing/technical) takes longer to master. Knowing how to structure and present information to users? Or knowing how to use a product or application? That got me thinking. If you want to make money as a technical writer, which area should you focus on? Sharpen your writing skills or deepen your technical knowledge, for example, learning how to document an API?
Scott says, “If you want to improve as a writer, you not only need to write. You need to read. Writing and reading are two sides of the same coin. You need to do both to achieve your potential.” I head downtown most weekends and buy 2 or 3 books, mostly business, history and some fiction. Every so often I run out of options (we’re in Beijing) and get something I usually wouldn’t buy, for example, Iain M Banks. Reading outside my comfort zone stretches me. I encounter writing styles, opinions, and information that I usually side-step.