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Subject:Re: Oh those tender users From:"Bonnie Granat" <bgranat -at- att -dot- net> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Sat, 30 Dec 2000 19:18:58 -0500
More like what I was going to post originally appears interspersed below:
-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Plato <intrepid_es -at- yahoo -dot- com>
>> The freshness of the "non-technical" person can provide him or her with
an
>> objectivity that more closely mirrors that of the TARGET of all our
>> writing - the USER.
>
>This is akin to saying "I am a better writer because I remain ignorant."
It's saying that if an end user is a nontechnical person, a nontechnical
technical writer is a good test subject for the adequacy of documentation
for nontechnical users and specifically, that a nontechnical technical
writer is ideal to present technical information to nontechnical users.
Maybe you write only for programmers or developers, but this list is for
writers who address a variety of audiences.
>
>I hear a lot of writers extol the virtues of understanding the needs of the
>user as if they were a prophet communing with the Lord.
You have a nearly pathological need to mock other people's seriously stated
concerns. You are simply ignorant. You are ignorant of the varieties of
audiences, you are ignorant of educational theory, you are ignorant of the
psychology of learning, and you are ignorant of the level of sophistication
of the techical communicators on this list that you seek to berate. Your
ignorance of these things shows itself most clearly when you dismiss
document design, fonts, and other visual elements as unimportant. Only an
ignorant person would do that. It is clear you have no training in technical
communication or you were looking in the mirror during class and mucking up
out of class.
I hate to tell you
>this, but the beloved users could care less about you and you're not doing
them
>any favors remaining ignorant.
I hate to tell you this, but you are a disgusting liar. Nobody implied that
the users care about the writer. What the hell are you smoking?
>
>Imagine you're getting a college degree in Physics. It's your senior year.
>You've worked really hard to get good grades and you've paid thousands of
>dollars for your education. In your last term, you're required to take a
course
>in quantum physics. The course is taught by a guy who really cares about
you
>and takes a lot of time to get to know your needs, but he has little if any
>knowledge of Physics. He doesn't even know the difference between quarks
and
>leptons.
>
If you see a parallel between what was suggested by the writer and your
example above, you should consider giving up trying to think logically.
>Would you want to remain in this teacher's class? How on earth could he
ever
>teach you anything if all he does is reformat the information handed to him
>from a textbook. Sure, he may talk a good talk, but how can you trust him?
Is
>this the kind of teacher you want when you spend $50,000 on an education?
>
You are always assuming people are advocating not knowing about the product
they are writing about. You are always twisting people's words.
>Okay, now lets apply that to our profession. I spend $9500.00 on a
software
>product (let's say its an e-mail server). I get handed a manual written by
a
>guy who really cared about my needs - but clearly did not have a clue what
a
>mail server is, does, or can do.
>
If a manual was written by a guy who really cared about your needs, he would
GET a clue about the software.
>Do you think I want this product? How dare this company sell me this
software
>only to provide a manual written by a person who felt the needs of the user
>were more important than understanding the product.
>
The needs of the person are obviously to use the product well and the writer
who cares will understand the product and inform and educate the user well.
>If you do not understand the technologies and topics you're documenting
you're
>doing the greatest disservice possible to your beloved users. You're
feeding
>them incomplete or inaccurate information.
>
Nobody said they're writing without understanding. Stop twisting people's
words.
>Command of style and grammar is the BEGINNING of technical writing.
Thinking clearly is the beginning. Some are better at it than others.
>
>> I think you can be a tech writer if you can learn, organize, and present
>> information to your audience.
>
>You can be a decent editor with those skills. You will never be a good
writer
>until you know what you're writing about.
>
The writer said "learn". Stop twisting people's words.
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