Simple Diagrams: Draw a Blackboard-and-Chalk Diagram

Simple Diagrams is proof that we’ve come a full-circle in technical illustration. We started fifty years ago with nothing more than a blackboard and a fistful of chalk. If we had any colored chalks we considered ourselves lucky. That was my elementary school experience. Then we went through the Photoshop + Illustrator revolution in the…

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How to Select A-Series Paper Sizes in Inches

Paper sizes can be confusing at times. FrameMaker, for example, offers a wealth of paper sizes in the Print Setup dialog box. Most of them are spelled out clearly. But the dimensions of some others are not as clear. What size is A3, for example? Or what are the exact dimensions of A5 or A6?…

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How to Write About Internet Connectivity — An Introduction

Telecommunications and internet connectivity are hot items not only for the consumers but for writers as well. Those writers specializing in these topics have countless magazines and web sites to which they can sell their articles. But first things first… If you’re a technical communication professional who’d like to write articles and reviews about Internet…

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MS Word numbered list

How to Add a Stylish Text Sidebar Box to a Word Document

Introduction Did you know how easy it is to add a very stylish text sidebar box to your MS Word business or technical document? MS Word comes with a number of impressive page layout features that perhaps you generally don’t expect from Word since it’s not known as a “page layout application” (like InDesign, QuarkXpress,…

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