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What we're talking about here is the age-old problem of complexity.
Complexity often defies simplification. Its the nature of complexity...its
complex!
As writers, we want to make things smooth and easy. Like a warm slice of
eel floating in olive oil. The problem is...people don't need oiled eels.
They need granola and fiber. Stuff that doesn't go down or come out so
easy. You have to package a big fibrous glop of granola into something
that merely sounds like an eel.
Uh huh.
Absurd analogies aside...the problems is sanitization. Complex systems and
designs are not easily described. You have to force a certain logic and
intellectual organization upon them. This requires using language that
communicates effectively, but also retains nuance and detail. Its not
enough to just say, "click here." People need to know WHY. They need
access to details and insight. If you sanitize all the details and insight
away, they'll miss the purpose and wind up frustrated. If you want to
empower people, you have to educate them. Merely instructing them will
just keep them at bay long enough to hate you.
You know...teach a man to fish and he is happy. Give him a fish and he
takes it an throws it to the cat...or something like that.
Any form of simplification is inherently less than the original concept.
So, what is the answer. Well... I have some brilliant ideas but they would
take way to long to describe them here. I guess you'll just have to wait
for the mini-series.
Time for me to go have an eel sandwich.
Andrew Plato
--- Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com> wrote:
>
> Geeks are far more likely to criticize explanations that are so general
> that
> they mislead or over-simplify. To be honest, when I'm writing for geeks,
> I'm far
> more concerned with avoiding that kind of pitfall. It seems a far more
> legitimate complaint than a choice between two word choices that are
> both
> commonly used.
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