Newsletters 2003

From January 2008, all new newsletter articles are posted on the CyberText Newsletter website.

Issue #9, December 2003 (PDF - 124KB)

Document layout hints
Book recommendation: Steve Krug's Don't make me think!
Word: Automatic Table of Contents
Word usage: Pet peeves
Software: PaintShop Pro version 8 new features

Issue #8, September 2003 (PDF - 241KB)

Windows: Show full menus
Windows: Keyboard shortcuts
Word: Repeat table header row
Acrobat: Create PDF from any file type
Software: Spyware killer; free PDF creator
Travel tip 1: Global email access using your own email program and computer
Travel tip 2: Cheap apartment accommodation in the US
Word usage: Pet peeves

Issue #7, June 2003 (PDF - 65KB)

News: AuthorIT Certified Consultant announcement
Word: Autocorrect
Acrobat: Security
Internet Explorer: Quick tips
Software: Spam and pop-up ad killers
Travel tip: Sleeping on planes
Word usage: That or which; its or it's?
Word usage: Pet peeves

Issue #6, March 2003 (PDF - 44KB)

Word: Automating Tables of Figures
Word: Getting rid of hyperlinks in a Table of Contents
Acrobat: Marking up edits in a PDF document
'Urban legend' websites
OCR software recommendation
Outlook: Plain text emails

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Rhonda is a powerhouse on many levels; technically she is exceptional. The job we asked her to do was not for the faint hearted. ... She has a veteran tech editor’s eye for detail with a talent for spotting trouble (and working out a solution) well before it hits...

You have been an invaluable asset to our team and will be sorely missed. Your instant responses to my endless, and sometimes very random, requests have been priceless to me. You are a walking, talking encyclopedia of technical [writing] information...

You made my dry and boring manuscript sing! I just love it every time you do this and I never get tired of seeing your magic... I can just dump my thoughts and get it polished up by a real professional... It amazes me how you do this in such short time.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for your enormous contribution to the production of the [Environmental Management Plans], etc. Your commitment, flexibility, excellent technical skills and cool head are very much appreciated.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to work with such a true professional. Your attention to detail, ability to jump in and solve numerous challenges and your provision of support at really tough times is exceptional.

A superwoman in the world of communication. Your knowledge and experience extended beyond that of just a technical writer which meant we were able call on your expertise in many areas of our business.

A big thanks for your work - you're a great team member, despite us not being able to see you each day.

Rhonda Bracey was perfect for the last session - her clearly vast experience in reviewing user interfaces combined with her humour and desire for us to know had us ending on a high note. Truck loads of information energetically delivered.

My colleague and I talk about you and Char so much as the gods of Author-it; we refer to your amazing wisdom on the user group every day.

You are indeed a very dynamic speaker, easy to listen to as well as delivering an enjoyable talk.

Wow, I can see why you're the writer and I'm not. I can't believe how fast you were able to turn my words around, how well you edited it to get to the essence of the message, and how you made my clumsy and bloated document into a slick Quick Reference Card.

Your materials on Training 101: Learn how to train are some of the most comprehensive and well organised that I've seen in the past twenty years of my training and education management career.

Rhonda, this is indeed excellent work. Yet another example of the incredibly high standard of work you produce. Well done and thanks.

I'm following your excellent instructions for customising HTML output for Author-it. Thanks to your instructions, I now have a fully operational HTML site, and my boss is very impressed!

I was very pleased with the thoroughness and quality of your editorial feedback. You've really helped to smooth out the multiple origins of the text and tame some of those sentences I just couldn't face again.

The format in which you have set out the pattern is much more readable and easy to follow than the way I have been setting out my instructions. You have done me a HUGE favour... I really appreciate all the work, time and effort you put into reformatting my pattern!

I can thoroughly recommend Rhonda's technical writing skills and services to any future client.

You have an ordered and logical approach to a task, and your feedback is well-researched, relevant, and valuable. Most valuable, I think, is your attention to usability issues. Your working style is friendly, efficient, and thorough, thorough, thorough!

I think you're one of the best in your field. It's been really great working with you.

I've worked with Rhonda for some 5 and a half years, and have always been impressed with her professionalism, work ethic, attention to detail, and her ability to 'get things done' on time and on budget.

I just wanted to let you know that I have been going through the (user) manuals for the latest version and have found them extremely helpful. So manuals do get used! It has really saved me asking 101 questions as I have been able to find the answers through them.

Thanks for a great session on customizing Author-it's HTML output — it was one of the most useful conference sessions I've ever attended.

...it has to be one of the best help files I have worked with. It is clear and concise, the prolific links mean I never have to search. The layout is neat and uncluttered—I am very impressed.

I absolutely love your work! You've done such a sensational job. To be honest, it [the user guide] nearly brought me to tears—that's how happy I was.

I adored your [Training] presentation. It was absolutely fantastic. You provided specific, practical tools and strategies that you've developed, used, and perfected from real life experiences; and the presentation and materials were extremely clear, easy to understand, and organized.

Thank you for your quick turnaround on the Manual and the quick start guide... Your work looks excellent and I am very happy with the outcome.

You certainly have the [editing] job with us for all of our major publications. I didn't know that anyone was as pedantic as me!

Best presentation of the conference. I looked forward to this and I wasn't disappointed — a tsunami of valuable information. Incredibly useful.

Your impact on our professionalism was unmistakable—you helped us move from an idea to a professional outfit. I really appreciate your efforts and the quality of your work. Your talent and discipline assures your success.

Your speed and excellent work standard was greatly appreciated.

Rhonda solved a tricky Word problem for us. She worked quickly, thoroughly investigated and explained all the options and kept us updated throughout the whole process. She's an absolute professional and a delight to work with.

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