Software documentation is a distinct specialty within the broader discipline of technical writing. It’s a world with its own rules, processes, and jargon.
Continuing our series on software industry terms you should be familiar with as a technical writer…
firmware – Firmware is a piece of software that is written to hardware.
For example, your microwave oven comes with firmware already built into your microchip. This is how he knows when to start heating his pizza, when to stop; when to turn on the fan and when to turn it off; when to add another 30 seconds of warm-up time; what to do when you press the button that says “TV Dinner” or “Popcorn” etc.
Every cell phone, VCR, camera, and every electronic device you can think of these days comes with its own “firmware.”
A technical writer who has to document such a device has to interact with its firmware and understand how it works.
Bug / Debug – A “bug” is a code error that causes the software program to not act the way it is supposed to or simply crash. “Debugging” is the process and method by which code is cleaned of such errors, repaired, and restored to “health”.
Specifications / Specifications – “Specifications” is a term you hear a lot in a software environment, although it’s not unique to the computer industry.
Each industry has its own specifications as the term refers to the detailed technical definition of a component, attribute or function.
If, for example, you’re making alarm clocks, the “functional specification” of the clock typically includes the temperature range in which the device is supposed to work.
A “marketing specification” includes the end-user functions that the software product is expected to deliver to the marketplace.
