TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Tim Altom wrote:
>>Now, single-source does impose something most writers and managers find
hard to accept: discipline. To produce reliable output, you must have
reliable
input, and that means defined and predictable structure.<<
Your obvious contempt for technical writers and their professional ability
aside, you have just proved my point. The leviathan system is inflexible.
By "reliable input" read: well-structured text & static images only. (Show
me how you can SINGLE SOURCE a motion picture to print and I'll give you a
cigar.)
Predictable structure is a hallmark of good technical writing, and has
nothing to do with a gargantuan single source monolith. That predictable
structure can change, from product to product, based on changes in the
educational needs of the target population, etc. However, the leviathan
single source system cannot change so easily. One size must fit all, because
it's too costly and time consuming to adjust the DTDs and conversion
routines when a new training or documentation design is prescribed by
funding constraints or market requirements.
Of course, none of that matters to the IT/IM types. That's just
"undisciplined technical writers trying to stick things in somewhere." The
motto of IT: "Machine uber menschen."
Regards,
Glenn Emerson
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Develop HTML-based Help with Macromedia Dreamweaver! (STC Discount.)
**NEW DATE/LOCATION!** January 16-17, 2001, New York, NY. http://www.weisner.com/training/dreamweaver_help.htm or 800-646-9989.
Sponsored by SOLUTIONS, Conferences and Seminars for Communicators
Publications Management Clinic, TECH*COMM 2001 Conference, and more http://www.SolutionsEvents.com or 800-448-4230
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
