We no longer need to agonize over increasing poundage and decreasing muscle tone when we’re dealing with a project crisis or overlapping deadlines. A new product from Steelcase, developed with researchers from the Mayo Clinic, combines a computer workstation with a treadmill. While it’s a bit pricey for the average freelancer, Steelcase is hoping that the productivity increase and improved morale of healthier employees will be worth the estimated $4000 price tag to corporate employers.

(submitted by Scott Abel, The Content Wrangler)

DocTrain East
Thursday, October 18 & Friday, October 19, 2007
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If you’re not able to attend Documentation and Training East 2007, don’t fret. The organizers will be streaming two days of original programming over Internet radio. All you need is a web browser, a computerwith some speakers, and a connection to the internet.

Made possible by the folks at MyTechnologyLawyer.com, the DocTrain East radio shows take place October 18-19, 2007 (schedule below) and will be broadcast live from the event venue. Listeners will be able to ask questions of the guests via email or phone (toll-free in the U.S.). The shows feature interviews with experts attending the conference who will discuss a variety of hot topics in the technical communication and training arena. MyTechnologyLawyer’s Scott Draughon will co-host the show along with Indiana-based technology journalist, Diane Wieland.

To listen to the live broadcast visit the radio show website. Click “Listen Now” to hear the audio. If you’d like to ask a question of the guests, call-in toll free at 866-685-7469 or send an email to radio@mytechnologylawyer.com.

Show Schedule, Thursday, October 18, 2007——-

• 10:00-11:00am ET - “Why Software Sucks” with guest author and keynote presenter, David Platt, Rolling Thunder Computing, and “Changing User Expectations” with guest Kelly Stirman, MarkLogic.
• 11:00-12noon ET - “Convergence and the new Adobe Technical Communication Suite” with RJ Jacquez, Adobe Systems, and “Content Component Management” with Chip Gettinger, Astoria Software.
• 2:00-3:00pm ET - “Why Content Management” with Mary Laplante, Gilbane Group and “What is Dynamic Publishing?” with Joe Gollner, Stilo International.
• 3:00-4:00pm ET - “Localization and Translation” with Christine Fidura, SDL, and “Controlled Vocabularies” with Kent Taylor, Acrolinx.

Show Schedule, Friday, October 19, 2007——-

• 9:00-10:00am ET - “DITA Storm: The DITA Wiki” with Alex Karezin and “DITA in Technical Publications” with Harvey Greenburg, XyEnterprise and Peter Vellikin, PTC.
• 10:00-11:00am ET - “Getting Writer’s To Adopt Structured XML Authoring” with Amanda Cross; “Change Management Challenges” with Emma Hamer, Strategy A; and “Content Management Options” with Dan Dube, DocZone.com.
• 11:00-12noon ET - “XML Authoring in an MS Word Environment” with Michael Boses, Invision Research and “Cool Tools for Tech Writers Under $100 Bucks” with Nicky Bleiel, Component One.