InfoDesign notes that the Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications is now available as a free download.
I've found that the MSTP is a reasonably useful publication, especially if you're documenting apps in a Windoze environment. However, some of the usage notes are (unintentionally) hilarious -- for instance:
navigateGee, I can't imagine why Microsoft would dislike the word "navigate"....
Avoid the verb navigate to refer to moving from site to site, page to page within a site, or link to link on the Internet (or on the desktop or in other applications, as well). Instead, use explore to mean looking for sites or pages generally, move to or move through to refer to sequentially moving from one link or site to another, or a similar neutral term describing the action.
Here's another good one:
crashSome of my suggestions for alternate terminology in relation to programs "crashing":
Do not use in end-user documentation; use fail for disks or stop responding for programs.
- spazzes
- throws a hissy fit
- vomits
- trashes
- blue-screens