The manual I chose to read was Video Subtitling that was created by a “community of Open Translation innovators” by using a platform FLOSSManuals to create this content collaboratively.
The audience for this manual I would imagine being a videographer or Youtuber. Obviously someone who creates videos would most likely need the knowledge of putting subtitles to their videos. I can assume that the audience based on the content of this manual have a deeper understanding about the specialized software that they talk about so it would need to be someone who is experienced with this technology.
The purpose of this document is to show step by step how to create subtitles. This is the primary purpose because it can help translate something like a movie. Although there are somethings that need to be available for that movie to be translated like an available script, and called character set. With subtitles though, it allows for a movie or a video to be viewed from places all over the world therefore increasing the box office/ratings.
The Manual overall is spaced out and easy to read with font color and size. It covers the need and definition is a subtitle which is different from what every thinks. The information is broken up into chronological paragraphs so each step is easy to read. Not only does it cover the basics of creating subtitles it also covers some background information that you would need to know such as file formats, different subtitle files, and it even compares different file formats. Choosing your file is essential to your creation since it needs to be compatible with your technology and the timing of the subtitles/video.
What’s appreciated about this manual is their specific language like in the paragraph “Creating Subtitles” and how they list specialized software that you might use. Also in the “Distribution” part the authors get into some issues that you can run into with subtitles and there the language sounds like how a text editor would discuss their job making it more relatable to their tech savvy audience. Their design of the manual works well with the language since the design is minimalist. They also show pictures with most of the steps to create the subtitle which is important since videographers usually tend to be more visual.
One thing that I would change about the manual if I were the author is I would make it more under stable to the public. It is aimed more at people who are advanced in the field of technology and software. Those are confusing topics to the majority of people in my opinion. I am not a software connoisseur myself and I struggled with understanding some of the language used in this manual even though it was detailed.
Site Title 