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Subject:Re: Is it the Zen or the Art of Tech Writing... From:"Eric Ray \(Web\)" <ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 25 Jul 2001 09:21:37 -0700 (PDT)
Quoting SIANNON -at- VISUS -dot- JNJ -dot- com:
> Given the breadth of the field, and the diversity of the skillsets
> required
> within it, I don't think it's necessarily as simple a question as it
> first
> appears. Breathing may be required to accomplish a tech writing
> assignment
> (the alternative being to asphyxiate and leave it incomplete), but yoga
>
> breathing techniques would be considered off-topic. If they were being
>
> submitted as one possible solution for dealing with the stress
> encountered
> the umpteenth time an SME tells you "don't worry about it" regarding a
>
> function you think needs to be documented more thoroughly, it would be
>
> on-topic.
Setting the hyperbole aside, that's a reasonable way to approach it.
The connection to technical writing needs to be explicitly
stated if it's not immediately obvious, though.
On the other hand, there's fairly little corrolation between
people who _say_ "this is a little off topic, but" and the
assessment that it really _is_ off topic.
> So, what do *you* think the scope of this forum encompasses?
More to the point, what do the rules of the forum say the scope is?
I've sent them out recently, but will be happy to resend if
needed.
> My 2 cents?
> -- Industry issues/news/discussions
> -- e.g., job market, licensing permutations,
> new regulatory developments, philisophies of tech
> writing (role of the user, purpose of specific
> types of doc, etc.)...
> -- Work environment issues/news/discussion
> -- e.g., dealing with SMEs, HR issues...
> -- Tool questions/reviews
> -- e.g., questions on Framemaker, ForeHelp,
> AuthorIT, Word, Acrobat, etc., including
> usage conventions (graphic formats, single-
> sourcing, revision control,...)
> -- Resource/reference questions/reviews
> -- e.g., book reviews, style guides, reference
> and support sites...
> -- Technical/grammatical questions
> -- e.g., acronyms, word usage, conventions for
> different audiences, readability and styles
Given an explicit technical writing connection, that's
in the ballpark.
The question of "what's appropriate for this forum" isn't
necessarily appropriate for this forum, though. If you have
questions or issues, please ping me directly.
Eric
ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com
TECHWR-L Arbiter of That Which Is Off-Topic
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