Open letter to everyone who uses a word processor application
Actually, this is more intended for those who use word processors to write anything beyond letters and the like.
If you are or ever will write anything with multiple sections, headers or any other kind of formatting...
Please, please, please learn how to use styles and templates.
I know there's a bit of a learning curve. I know that MS Word can be a pain in this regard, particularly if you want to use bullet or number lists, or tables. I know that it requires a mental shift to separate the content of a document from its form, but it's worth it. Styles, done properly, make a huge difference in cleaning up and formatting a document, turning tedious drudge work into a quick delight. Imagine not having to hunt through an entire document and make individual changes because you want your headers to be 2pts larger. Imagine having a constantly updated roadmap of your entire document you can refer to in a side pane.
MS Word, like it or not, is the default, and I believe that the vast majority of users understand only a tiny fraction of its total abilities. They may also know how to use a particular function that directly relates to their work, such as mail merges, but they don't know the deeper functions that are applicable to many different uses. Styles should be understood as fundamental to using the application, as fundamental as layers are to Photoshop or formulas are to Excel. And yet, they aren't.
This goes for OpenOffice.org Writer (basically an MS Word clone) users and users of any other word processing software that includes the function.
If you are or ever will write anything with multiple sections, headers or any other kind of formatting...
Please, please, please learn how to use styles and templates.
I know there's a bit of a learning curve. I know that MS Word can be a pain in this regard, particularly if you want to use bullet or number lists, or tables. I know that it requires a mental shift to separate the content of a document from its form, but it's worth it. Styles, done properly, make a huge difference in cleaning up and formatting a document, turning tedious drudge work into a quick delight. Imagine not having to hunt through an entire document and make individual changes because you want your headers to be 2pts larger. Imagine having a constantly updated roadmap of your entire document you can refer to in a side pane.
MS Word, like it or not, is the default, and I believe that the vast majority of users understand only a tiny fraction of its total abilities. They may also know how to use a particular function that directly relates to their work, such as mail merges, but they don't know the deeper functions that are applicable to many different uses. Styles should be understood as fundamental to using the application, as fundamental as layers are to Photoshop or formulas are to Excel. And yet, they aren't.
This goes for OpenOffice.org Writer (basically an MS Word clone) users and users of any other word processing software that includes the function.