Re: Indexing Jokes

[Lori Lathrop <76620 -dot- 456 -at- COMPUSERVE -dot- COM>]

Dan Wise (bless him!), dewise -at- ix -dot- netcom -dot- com, said:

        If you want me to write you off as being hopelessly
        unprofessional and not worthy of consideration for future
        contracts, take the time to plug a cute little joke into an
        index you do for me.

        IMHO, an index is supposed to be a helpful tool for the
        document user. Putting endless-loop jokes in the index is bound
        to irritate at least some of the readers, making them less
        likely to purchase another product from the producer.  If you
        sabotage the company you contract to, you are biting the hand
        that feeds you.

I couldn't have said it better myself!  ;-)  BTW, a similar thread came up on
INDEX-L awhile back, and some of the publishers who subscribe to that list were
understandably alarmed.  One said almost exactly what Dan said; the indexer who
stooped that would never work for that publisher again.

Also, FWIW, the "endless loop" joke is the oldest one in the book.  However, I
have seen it done well once, with the approval of the author, Clifford Stoll, in
_Silicon Snake Oil_.  If you have a copy of that book, start with the entry for
"recursion" and follow the cross-references.

Before signing off, I want to emphasize that indexing, if it's done well, does
require a certain amount of creativity and mental gymnastics.  Consequently,
professional indexers do not feel a need to inject not-so-creative jokes into an
index to satisfy their creative instincts.

BTW, I will be presenting a one-day workshop in Boulder, CO, on Friday,
September 12th, the day before the ASI-Colorado Rocky Mountain Indexing
Conference, which is scheduled for Saturday, September 13th.  If you would like
more info about either event, please let me know.

Happy indexing ....  Lori
Vice President/President-Elect, American Society of Indexers
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