Re: Proof that content is more important than style
I don't know how Andrew would answer, but I suggest that he's making a logical deduction based on observation. Looking at STC programs, or even the posts on this list, I think it's a reasonable assumption that most tech-writers are concerned with style rather than content.
I don't think that this assumption can reasonably be based on these obeservations.
Both this list and the STC are dedicated to the process of tech writing. It would be counterproductive for both to try to cover "content" as well.
Why is that? It is inconceivable that either this list or the STC could cover any breadth of content with much depth. So they would be left with two choices if they were to cover content:
- Do a little bit of everything, but only superficially.
- Do a small slice of content (say, networking protocols) well but frget about the rest.
It is hard for me to see any value in the first choice, and it is equally hard to see why, e.g., the STC would offer content-related services for networking protocols (or any other particular content area) but not the others.
In fact, if one cares about content, IMHO one should argue _against_ the STC dabbling in it and instead that the writers go where they can really learn something: to the appropriate professional associations.
Why would I want to learn about IT at the STC when I can do so in much mre breadth and depth at the IEEE or ACM? Why would I want to discuss jet engines in the STC when I can do so much better and with a lot more peers at whatever the association of aircraft engineers is called?
Where would you go in your company to learn about the product that you need to document? To your fellow tech writers or to the SMEs? I don't know about you, but I would go to the SMEs.
Same with the associations: If writers want to learn and discuss _how_ to write, they should go to the STC. If they want to learn and discuss _what_ to write, they should go to the appropriate professional association.
So the fact that content is little discussed on this list or in the STC does not mean that writers discuss it little in general. They might just do so where it is most appropriate.
Regards
Jan Henning
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Jan Henning
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