Technical Author Training and Report Writing Courses from ESTON Training

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11-Nov-2011 ESTON’s Software Authorship course (Ref: EDL3/2) updated
ESTON’s Software Authorship course (Ref: EDL3/2) has been comprehensively updated. The EDL3/2 self-assessed course, which won the Computer Weekly Bronze Plaque Award when it was first introduced to the marketplace, teaches students the specialist skills i....
11-Nov-2011 ESTON’s SGML Foundation course (Ref: EDL5/1) updated
ESTON’s SGML Foundation course (Ref: EDL5/1) has been comprehensively updated. The Standard Generalised Mark-up Language (SGML) distance learning training course teaches students how to recognise and use SGML tags appropriately and effectively. It also pr....
11-Nov-2011 ESTON is looking for a Field Tester
ESTON is looking for a field tester to test its Standard Generalised Mark-up Language (SGML) distance learning training course (Ref: EDL5/1), which has recently been comprehensively updated.....
07-Oct-2011 Factors to consider when commissioning an IT System for a small business
Factors to consider when commissioning an IT System for a small business I’m going to spend the next five minutes or so covering some of the main factors that should be considered when commissi....
13-Sep-2011 No Double-dip Recession Here
Stan McKerron, ESTON Training’s Head Tutor and Business Manager, has a positive outloook on the UK economy. He said: “I went up to Manchester last week for a series of meetings and was astounded by the traffic, both on the motorway and on the “B” roads. T....
01-Sep-2011 ESTON Training has updated its SIMPLIFIED English course – a distance learning course for technical communicators.
ESTON Training has updated its SIMPLIFIED English course – a distance learning course specifically designed for technical communicators. The Simplified English (SE) training course (Ref: EDL8T) comprises 13 Training Packs that together form a comprehensi....
01-Sep-2011 Searching for Information on the Internet
The Technical Authorship Diploma course includes a detailed and informative study note entitled “C6, A Guide to the Internet”. The Internet is an extensive.......
01-Sep-2011 A Good Time to Change Careers?
“There has never been a better time for training to become a well-paid Technical or Commercial Author”, says Stan McKerron, ESTON Training’s Head Tutor.....
01-Sep-2011 Philips “Energy Saver” Bulbs – Important Information
Philips “energy saver” bulbs, also known as Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), are highly recommended replacements for traditional incandescent lamps, because they are 75% more efficient and they last seven to ten times longer.....
01-Sep-2011 E-waste and electronic equipment recycling
As electronic technology advances, the sophisticated components that go into each device use different kinds of materials, some of which have only come into mass-production within our lifetimes, and many of which are non-biodegradable. Yet, something like....
05-Aug-2011 Another co-incidence (1st of March, 2010)!
Stan - Just out of interest, did you see BBC North West Tonight last night at 6:30 pm? There was a news item about a street somewhere in the north-west.....

11-Nov-2011 ESTON’s Software Authorship course (Ref: EDL3/2) updated
The EDL3/2 self-assessed course, which won the Computer Weekly Bronze Plaque Award when it was first introduced to the marketplace, teaches students the specialist skills involved in documenting computer software, using traditional methods and technologies. The Software Authorship distance learning training course comprises five Training Packs that build into a comprehensive, but easy to follow self-study programme. The subjects covered explain vocational skills such as designing a Software Specification, writing a Draft, Structured Writing, Editing, Reviewing, Alpha and Beta Field Testing, On-line Techniques, etc., which are all of great practical value for those who want to learn about documenting computer applications. This course includes a unique software simulation program that has been updated to run on the latest versions of Microsoft Windows. During the course, students learn how to run the software simulation and are taught how to prepare a fit-for-purpose User Manual that describes the program.	Top

11-Nov-2011 ESTON’s SGML Foundation course (Ref: EDL5/1) updated
The Standard Generalised Mark-up Language (SGML) distance learning training course teaches students how to recognise and use SGML tags appropriately and effectively. It also prepares them to attain an ESTON Training Diploma, which is a vocational qualification that is widely recognised and accepted throughout the English-speaking world. The course is designed primarily as a career-development course, which will ensure that students obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the Standard Generalised Mark-up Language (and its derivatives, such as HTML) in weeks than the untrained achieve in years. ESTON’s EDL5/1 course comprises seven Training Packs that build into a comprehensive but easy to follow study programme. The subjects covered in this foundation course explain proven work skills such as Text Mark-up, Document Structures, SGML Syntax, Document Tagging, etc., which are all of great practical value for those tasked with using SGML, HTML and other derivative mark-up languages. The syllabus was compiled by proven career professionals as a complete training programme, based on the ISO 8879 (SGML) specification. The relevant and cogent information is presented in a number of Study Notes and progress is assessed via stimulating and effective Exercises. Relevant to your background and experience, they provide training that is both practical and realistic. The EDL5/1 course includes a unique Parsing and Formatting software program, that has been updated to run on the latest versions of Microsoft Windows. This software has been especially created so that students can “parse” the documents that they have created during their coursework (i.e. the program analyses the SGML mark-up in documents, checks that SGML tags have been inserted properly, and allows the user to view or print out documents in various formats).	Top

11-Nov-2011 ESTON is looking for a Field Tester
ESTON is looking for a field tester to test its Standard Generalised Mark-up Language (SGML) distance learning training course (Ref: EDL5/1), which has recently been comprehensively updated. The training material, which is provided in a bespoke USB flash drive, will be sent free of charge to the successful candidate. The EDL5/1 course includes a unique Parsing and Formatting software program, that has been updated to run on the latest versions of Microsoft Windows. This software has been especially created so that students can “parse” the documents that they have created during their coursework (i.e. the program analyses the SGML mark-up in documents, checks that SGML tags have been inserted properly, and allows the user to view or print out documents in various formats). If you are interested in learning about SGML and would like to take this self-assessed course, please contact the ESTON office by e-mail, at: sales@estontrg.com.	Top

07-Oct-2011 Factors to consider when commissioning an IT System for a small business
I’m going to spend the next five minutes or so covering some of the main factors that should be considered when commissioning an IT system within a small business. I’ll cover establishing the business need; software, hardware; maintenance support and governance. First of all, and perhaps most obviously, there has to be an absolute business need to justify the investment. Those involved in proposing the requirement for an IT system have to have a fundamental understanding of what the business does and how it does it. However, just because activities are carried out in a certain way doesn’t mean that they are necessarily the best or the most efficient. A good way to ensure that only those activities that add value to a business are carried out is to carry out some form of business process mapping. This should either confirm or contradict the business need. Once this has been done, it should be possible to identify software packages and capabilities that can be harnessed to deliver the required business effect; whether that is to produce customer invoices or to log all calls and enquiries made to a helpdesk. Selection of software is important and can have profound effects on a business. If chosen badly, the customer may find themselves with a product that becomes quickly out of date or is incompatible with subsequent hardware or operating system upgrades, or may have hidden or escalating support costs. Chosen well, an application will mesh seamlessly with other software products, particularly those used by customers and suppliers, and will add value to the business without also becoming a cost burden. An often overlooked, and arguably essential piece of software that needs to be considered is Antivirus (AV) software. Whilst clearly an overhead, this needs to be balanced against the cost to the business of lost, damaged or corrupted business data. AV should be considered whether host computers are networked or internet enabled due to the risk of malicious software being introduced from transportable media such as USB sticks or CD-ROMs. Hardware is also an issue to be carefully considered. It may be tempting to provide all staff with access to a PC or laptop, particularly if being offered a ‘good deal’, but there should only be as many as are needed to serve the business. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, more PCs use more energy, which will push up utility bills. A further cost may be for unnecessary software licences, and more PCs need more maintenance support, which will be covered later. The specification of the hardware should also be matched to what it will be used for. A high-end gaming PC might be considered unnecessary for an accounts department. Away from user devices, there may also be a need for printers, routers, servers and other peripheral devices, as well as either fibre-optic or wireless network infrastructure. The need for all of these items must form part of the overall business case and must ease the flow of information around the organisation and, where necessary, externally. Maintenance Support. The need for maintenance support can be subjective and it is a another cost that needs to be balanced against the value of both the system and the data to the business. Governance. One of the principal forms of governance that a business should immediately implement is an Acceptable Usage Policy for its employees. This should clearly lay out what the company’s IT may and may not be used for, and should identify the main statutory legislation that they have a duty to observe. That being: The Data Protection Act, the Computer Misuse Act ; the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act. The degree of governance required will depend to a degree on the type of data that is dealt with by an IT system, and may require certain staff to be given specific permissions to move, change or make regular back-ups of business data. To summarise, before implementing or purchasing an IT system, there needs to be a fundamental understanding of what the business does and how the IT system adds value. It then needs to be decided which tools best meet that need and what type and how much hardware is needed to run it. Included within this should be a consideration of the ongoing costs, such as energy usage, licensing and maintenance. Finally, there needs to be some form of governance structure, that protects the system, employees and most importantly, business data. (Transcript of a five-minute talk by: Student GM – E4872)	Top

13-Sep-2011 No Double-dip Recession Here
Stan McKerron, ESTON Training’s Head Tutor and Business Manager, has a positive outloook on the UK economy. He said: “I went up to Manchester last week for a series of meetings and was astounded by the traffic, both on the motorway and on the “B” roads. There is a lot of business going on out there, as we know from our own 2010/11 end-of-year results. Our performance was better than the previous financial year, and we were able to take advantage of the capital allowances scheme and upgraded our office computer systems.” ESTON Training was set up in Derby in the early 1980s and although it has expanded its offerings, it has concentrated on the training of technical and commercial authors. “ESTON has had students from all over the world and many of them are still within the industry, or are running their own businesses. In the past ten years we have seen more women coming in to the industry and more students specialising as commercial authors,” said Stan. “50% of students complete the Technical/Commercial Authorship diploma course (Ref: EDL2D) in six months or less. 40% complete the course in about a year and the rest take longer than a year. The course takes approximately 260 hours of study to complete, depending upon the individual and the amount of effort put in when responding to the course exercises. Up until a few years ago it was rare for students to complete the course in less than six months. However, these days more and more people are “fast-tracking”. Also, more people are getting study time at work (for example, two hours each day) to complete the course; this was unheard of just a few years ago (changing times),” he continued.	Top

01-Sep-2011 ESTON Training has updated its SIMPLIFIED English course – a distance learning course for technical communicators.
ESTON Training has updated its SIMPLIFIED English course – a distance learning course specifically designed for technical communicators. The Simplified English (SE) training course (Ref: EDL8T) comprises 13 Training Packs that together form a comprehensive and easy-to-follow study programme. This distance learning training course includes a detailed explanation of the rules and principles of Simplified English as they should be interpreted and applied during and after the course. In addition, some basic but essential English language instruction is provided in order to facilitate the understanding of the various parts of speech used, and to ensure that conventional grammatical rules are followed.	Top

01-Sep-2011 Searching for Information on the Internet
The ESTON TRAINING Technical Authorship Diploma training course includes a detailed and informative study note entitled “C6, A Guide to the Internet”. The Internet is an extensive and valuable source of information for the technical author, with billions of web pages containing data on every conceivable subject. Study Note C6 describes how to search the Internet effectively using the Google search engine and a string of powerful search variables.	Top

01-Sep-2011 A Good Time to Change Careers?
“There has never been a better time for training to become a well-paid Technical or Commercial Author”, says Stan McKerron, ESTON Training’s Head Tutor. Since the company started back in the early 1980s, there have been several recessions. However, during these previous down-turns in the economy, there has always been a call for trained technical and commercial authors. The larger technical documentation projects, both in the UK and in mainland Europe, are generally “recession-proof” because they tend to be long-term projects and the budgets are already in place before these type of projects start. For example, once the UK Government has decided to build a new fleet of nuclear submarines, the technical documentation takes years to complete and the amendment of the manuals often goes on for thirty or more years. In addition, during periods of recession, governments all over the world are on the lookout for large engineering and construction projects (all of which need documentation), to keep their unemployment figures as low as possible. Commercial authors are also in great demand during bad economical times, because many companies produce various types of documents, mainly to advertise their wares and to entice customers to buy. For example, these days commercial authors are involved in the promotion of insurance products. It is they who prepare the offer letters that you get through the post, inviting you to buy various types of products from health cover to car and house insurance. “As we are in a recession, it is inevitable that many companies will not survive, and there will be redundancies. This, therefore, is a good time to prepare for another, rewarding career as a technical or commercial author. If you want to know what authoring jobs are available in the UK at present, type “author jobs” into Google and you will see just how many companies are looking for authors”, says Stan, who has been with ESTON Training for seven years.	Top

01-Sep-2011 Philips “Energy Saver” Bulbs – Important Information
Philips “energy saver” bulbs, also known as Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), are highly recommended replacements for traditional incandescent lamps, because they are 75% more efficient and they last seven to ten times longer. CFLs are safe to use in the home; no mercury is released when the bulbs are in general use, so they pose no danger when used properly. However, CFLs incorporate glass tubing that can break if they are dropped or handled roughly. Care must be taken when removing these lamps from their packaging, installing them and replacing them. CFLs must always be screwed and unscrewed by holding their bases, and never forcefully twisted into lamp sockets by their tubes. Like old batteries, cell phones and other potentially hazardous household items, CFLs must be disposed of properly. Unserviceable CFLs should not be thrown out with your general household rubbish, if better disposal options are available in your local area. To find out how to dispose of CFLs safely, check directly with your local council (you will find their number in the telephone book). Additional information is available at, http://www.lamprecycling.co.uk/. Also note that IKEA stores take back unserviceable CFLs, and other major retailers are currently exploring similar disposal facilities. If your local council does not offer any special disposal options, unserviceable CFLs should be placed in a plastic bag and sealed before putting them into the appropriate household waste bin. CFLs, and other products which contain mercury, should never be incinerated. Therefore, if you know that your local council incinerates its waste, you must discuss safe disposal options with your local council. Although there is a small amount of mercury in CFLs, the greatest risk if a bulb breaks is getting cut from glass shards. Research indicates that there is no immediate health risk to you or your family if a lamp breaks, if it is cleaned up properly. Should a CFL break, proceed as follows: Weather permitting, open all windows to allow the room to ventilate. Sweep up all of the glass fragments and other fine particles; do not use a vacuum cleaner. Place all of the fragments and other fine particles into a plastic bag and wipe the area thoroughly with a damp paper towel to pick up any stray shards of glass, etc. Put the used towel into the plastic bag as well and seal the bag. If your local council offers no special disposal options, put the plastic bag into the appropriate household waste bin.	Top

01-Sep-2011 E-waste and electronic equipment recycling
As electronic technology advances, the sophisticated components that go into each device use different kinds of materials, some of which have only come into mass-production within our lifetimes, and many of which are non-biodegradable. Yet, something like computer recycling doesn’t cross the minds of those disposing of them nearly enough, considering the times in which we live. As electronic components such as TVs, computers and other “e-waste” are disposed of, they collect in landfills where they will lie for the rest of our planet’s existence. Little known to most people is that every single piece of plastic that’s ever been manufactured is still here with us on earth, hopelessly trapped in landfills or other disposal sites, where they will continue to have an impact on our environment. At this point in our species’ existence, e-waste recycling is more important than ever. E-waste recycling is a step we must take in order to preserve our planet and our environmental and atmospheric quality of life. More importantly, as technology advances, more and more non-biodegradable material makes its way into landfills every day. In many cases, these materials can be recycled and reused. When it comes to electronics, recycling may not appeal as an option immediately, but it should always be considered. Recycling electronic components helps everyone and everything, not just the humans who dominate the planet. Electronics recycling saves resources, because new metals don’t need to be mined. It maintains the absence of hazardous materials in our ecosystem, such as lead. It makes available valuable space in landfills and disposal facilities and keeps them free of harmful elements that do long-term damage to our planet. Televisions, DVD players, VCRs, stereos, fax machines, copiers and computers are commonly disposed of improperly, although they can be refurbished for further use. Computer recycling keeps silicon circuit boards out of landfills and puts them back in consumers’ hands, which creates less of a need for manufactured materials that will not biodegrade. Television recycling keeps harmful and virulent materials, such as lead, from seeping into the ground and irreversibly damaging the ecosystem.	Top

05-Aug-2011 Another co-incidence (1st of March, 2010)!
Stan - Just out of interest, did you see BBC North West Tonight last night at 6:30 pm? There was a news item about a street somewhere in the north-west. People were getting locked in or out of their cars when they parked on a particular street. The cause turned out to be electronic devices used for taking orders in a nearby restaurant. The frequency they were using interfered with the locking mechanisms of some cars. The solution was simply to alter the operating frequency of the electronic devices. It reminded me of the SeatOp Garage Doors exerise! Cheers, Student E4800	Top