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A Note from the Editors

This issue of Intercom is essentially a double issue on information architecture, with print and Web editions (some additional articles have been published online only).

Letter to the Editor

In the November issue of Intercom, Neil Perlin briefly discussed the ePub standard in his article, “Tech Comm and Mobile: What You Need to Know.” He mentioned in the article that the ePub standard does not currently support an index.

A Note from the Editor

This month's Intercom focuses on gaming, a subject that evokes fond memories of my youth and my current research interests.

A Note from the Editor

I am very excited about this month's Intercom magazine. While I knew the mobile theme of the issue would be popular among readers, as I increasingly see it covered in other publications and at conferences, I was overwhelmed by the interest in the topic and by the number of high-quality submissions I received, which is why the entire issue this month is devoted to mobile communication technologies and strategies.

A Note From the Editors

This issue of intercom centers on multimedia and new media, especially the role new media centers or labs have on technical communication practice and instruction.

A Note From the Editor

The July/August issue of Intercom is dedicated to the technical communicator's essential toolbox and identifying tool genres that are crucial to getting your job done. As the cover image suggests, not only is the tool or technology important, but so are the skills necessary to use the tools, and therefore this issue spans a wide array of tools and skill genres, including content management systems, game-based learning, terminology databases, essential books, and applications that make our writing process easier.

A Note from the Editor

This issue of intercom is focused on social media and social networking tools for technical communicators.

A Note from the Editor

One of Intercom's purposes is to provide readers with articles that promote professional development. This issue in particular attempts to address this goal by examining some related industries to technical communication. For example, Keith Hopper and Wei Sun's article shows how technical communicators' skills are appropriate for the field of instructional design (maximizing the effectiveness, efficiency, and appeal of instruction or other learning experiences). They use an example of teaching soldiers to use hand grenades, which is the reference to which the cover image refers. Catherine Deschamps-Potter focuses on the translation industry-another sister field-and the multimedia content evolution going on at her company, International Communication by Design. She emphasizes technical communication's increasing focus on multimedia rather than just text, and she notes the challenges that multimedia content presents, not only for translation and localization providers, but also for all information developers.

A Note from the Editor

This month's Intercom is longer than usual with two mainstream articles, two product reviews, two columns, and also detailed information about the upcoming Technical Communication Summit in Sacramento, California, STC's 58th annual conference, 15-18 May 2011.

From the Guest Editor

Standards are omnipresent and play a vital role in our lives. Standards ensure the safety and reliability of our transportation, construction, communication, and power. Technical communicators benefit from standards every time we use the Web or write Web content, create accessible content, or work with XML. This issue provides insights into three standards bodies that are relevant to technical communication and are supported by STC members: the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), OASIS, and ISO. A goal I had as guest editor of this issue was not just to highlight the standards themselves, but also to provide readers with a glimpse into the standards creation process, the real people who develop standards, and the compromises that are often made during standards development.