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>>One of my tech writing students years ago had a doctorate in folklore...<<
Would that degree be a PhD or a BsD? In any case, maybe your student was more qualified for a career in Marketing.
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+darren -dot- butler -dot- ctr=robins -dot- af -dot- mil -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+darren -dot- butler -dot- ctr=robins -dot- af -dot- mil -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Marguerite Krupp
Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 4:25 PM
To: voxwoman; KevinMcLauchlan
Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: We're Number 13! We're Number 13!
One of my tech writing students years ago had a doctorate in folklore. Of course, there's quite a folklore of tech writing, too. But tech writing paid better.
Marguerite
--- On Thu, 1/7/10, McLauchlan, Kevin <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com> wrote:
From: McLauchlan, Kevin <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com>
Subject: RE: We're Number 13! We're Number 13!
To: "voxwoman" <voxwoman -at- gmail -dot- com>
Cc: "techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Thursday, January 7, 2010, 4:13 PM
The difference is that some of today's best (or most engaging... if there's a difference) SF might achieve the enduring status of mythology, but I'm pretty sure that none of my technical /f/i/c/t/i/o/n/ writing is going to last beyond next year.
Mythology = fiction of the past about the past
SF = fiction of the now about the (mythical?) future
I guess the other real difference (and the one that makes mythology more like techwriting, I suppose) is that when it was first composed, mythology thought to describe something that was supposed to have existence outside people's heads (in 'real' life)... but turned out to be fiction.
Comparing that to SF and to techwriting - SF _admits_ that it's fiction, right away. Ahem.
OMG! That means, techwriting is... <see earlier posts - fill in own conclusions>
- Kevin
________________________________
From: voxwoman [mailto:voxwoman -at- gmail -dot- com]
Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 3:50 PM
To: McLauchlan, Kevin
Cc: Kat Kuvinka; john -at- garisons -dot- com; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: We're Number 13! We're Number 13!
I thought my science fiction background was my particular leg up (and I actually took a class in SF in the English Department at my university). A background in science AND fiction is the perfect combination for writing about software under development.
-Wendy
On Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 3:32 PM, McLauchlan, Kevin <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com<mailto:Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com>> wrote:
Kat Kuvinka suggested:
> >
> > Software systems don't really exist ... sure, everyone SAYS
> they're zeroes
> > and ones on a whirling magnetic disc, but has anyone ever SEEN it?
> >
>
>
>
> Perhaps theology is the best background!
Theology/mythology.... same-same... possibly the department has a different name, but...
- Kevin (the debbil made me do it)
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