Hi DITAaficionados

DITA and topic-based authoring has opened up a lot of new ways to collaborate on content development. If you work with geographically dispersed teams, however, you need to have a "platform" (or "workspace") to share and exchange your files. This platform can be a content management system or ...NomaDesk®.

Comtech Services, with the assistance of Eurofield Information Solutions, has released an electronic version of the popular Introduction to DITA. The eCompress version allows you to read online, search for content, add bookmarks and notes, and send notes to other subscribers. We can also send updates to everyone who has a copy. The electronic version is designed for use on one computer and allows you to cut-and-paste the XML code samples into your own documents.

Ann Rockley writes this week in CMS Watch about the partnership between IBM and Quark, which in their words brings "DITA to the masses." DITA is an XML content standard that enables you to reuse and repurpose content more easily. It was originally developed by IBM before being sent to OASIS where it became an official XML standard.

With Bluestream XDocs 2.0 released, there is finally an end-to-end true DITA component content management solution addresses the needs of documentation and other content creators, particularly in an uncertain economy.

Richard Hamilton, author of Managing Writers has reviewed Practical DITA on his XML Press website. Read the review at the linked site.