Here are some links from around the web, on a variety of relevant subjects...
XML, DocBook, DITA
- A DocBook tutorial -- the first couple of sections are good, then it bogs down
- Bob Stayton's book is the best, easiest to use reference for DocBook configuration, customization, and special features
- DocBook: The Definitive Guide is the gold standard reference to DocBook elements and attributes
- Introduction to (the) DITA from the IBM developerWorks technical library
- What is DITA and why should you care? by Chris Benz
Collaborative documentation
- Content reuse and structure using Confluence as a collaborative authoring tool
- Interview with Adam Hyde, founder of FLOSS Manuals (collaborative book development)
- Wrap-up with FLOSS Manuals book sprint at Google article by Andy Oram
Topic-based writing
- Topic-based information development article (list of tips, really...) by Tony Self
- About topic-based writing with a DITA slant, from the DITA open toolkit user guide
- Moving from Narrative to Topic-based Writing by Ghada Captan, Thomson Financial
- Making the leap to topic-based writing case study by Alexia Idoura, Symantec
- Topic-based writing to the rescue case study by Rahel Anne Bailie
Addressing different reader types
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Documentation for software engineers by Ulrike Parson, describes several reader types among software engineers