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Subject:RE: Are tech writers inherently snobby? From:"Karen Field Carroll" <kfcarroll -at- cox -dot- net> To:<techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:11:51 -0700
It was completely inadvertant, Gene. Again, I'm sorry.
And to clarify something else, I'm not seeing this arrogance with posts to
the LIST; it's just private replies.
Anyway, thanks to everyone who has replied. I've enjoyed the honesty and
considered opinions the topic generated.
Karen
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+kfcarroll=cox -dot- net -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+kfcarroll=cox -dot- net -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of
Gene Kim-Eng
Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 3:24 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Are tech writers inherently snobby?
Karen hasn't sent me any offline messages requesting clarifications of any
of my
posts to the list, so I'm guessing inadvertant.
But to answer the question anyway, many tech writers find themselves tasked
with
the unenviable goal of being their employers' grammar and spelling police as
well as their documentation authors and managers, and some (gluttons for
punishment) choose to step in and do it even if it isn't required of them.
Coming across as nagging and judgemental can be a definite hazard of playing
that role.
There is also a rapidly dwindling number of writers who entered the
profession
during the dotcom and are finding themselves shut out of the increasingly
technical requirements of the writing jobs that survived the crash who may
be a
bit defensive about their perceived "value," but I don't think we're seeing
them
post to this list anymore. At least it's been a while since anyone tried to
argue that their ignorance of a company's products and technology was
actually
an asset.
Gene Kim-Eng
----- Original Message -----
From: "Combs, Richard" <richard -dot- combs -at- Polycom -dot- com>
> Karen, did you mean to reply to Gene's message (which you quoted below),
> or was that inadvertent?
Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers developing Table of
Contents, Context IDs, and Index, as well as Doc-To-Help
2009 tips, tricks, and best practices. http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/
Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
authors and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write
once, publish to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control! http://www.helpandmanual.com/
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as kfcarroll -at- cox -dot- net -dot-
Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers developing Table of
Contents, Context IDs, and Index, as well as Doc-To-Help
2009 tips, tricks, and best practices. http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/
Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
authors and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write
once, publish to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control! http://www.helpandmanual.com/
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
