Chapter 1. Introduction Overview of the Style Guide A style guide is a reference tool used by writers and editors. It is an outline of the policies andstandards that writers and editors are expected to work to. The Ubuntu documentation team needs its own style guide because Ubuntu is unique. Ubuntuis Linux + GNU + Debian + (GNOME and KDE) + the Ubuntu philosophy. No style guidecovers the entire spectrum of Ubuntu components. The Ubuntu Documentation Style Guide is built with the participation of the members of theUbuntu documentation team, and represents the current accepted practice for documentsproduced and maintained by the docteam. This style guide attempts to achieve the following: • Help writers communicate clearly. • Create a consistent style across all documents. • Create a consistent use of terminology across all documents. • Highlight common problems in the use of the English language, and to provide solutions. • Help writers write for an international audience, including how to write for translation. • Help writers and editors select the appropriate DocBook markup.