Re: Hearing (or seeing) what isn't there

Subject: Re: Hearing (or seeing) what isn't there
From: Andrew Plato <gilliankitty -at- yahoo -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Sat, 15 Mar 2003 10:40:10 -0800 (PST)



"John Posada" wrote...

> I'd like to throw out a question.
>
> How do you avoid injecting into your understanding of a software or hardware
> something that isn't there. Some might say that this is related to the
> discussion we had about knowing or not knowing enough to document something,
> but it isn't the same. When this happens, the credibility of the content is

> So...how do you train yourself to not assume something without actually
> knowing you are doing it?

This is easy. Work like a scientist not a artist. A scientist draws
conclusions and understanding from facts, not from speculation, opinion, and
preference. Thus, you need to be able to differentiate when you have an
opinion, a fact, speculation, and preferences.

Most people are convinced beyond any reason that their opinions, speculations,
and preferences are facts. Thus, when people tell you things, you must
relentlessly assume that everything coming out of their mouth is dripping with
bias and misinformation. Only after some analysis can you start to see
patterns emerge. Then you draw your conclusions (documentation) from those
patterns and not the babbling of a very biased person.

Andrew Plato

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