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Bill Swallow added to his original post: <<Yes, it *is* just one opinion.
But, it's a published opinion... Published in a periodical by the STC, in
which case means the STC supports the claims and assertions within the
article.>>
That's drawing a false conclusion, or at least assuming that failure to
reject an article represents official endorsement of the article. As I've
noted, Intercom's editor enjoys considerable editorial freedom from
interference by STC as a whole.
<<I think this is far from the truth though, what with a single-sourcing SIG
and previos articles on the subject.>>
Exactly why I say you've drawn a false conclusion; if there was any official
or unofficial bias against single-sourcing, the SIG wouldn't exist and the
previous favorable articles wouldn't have been published. Publishing
contrary opinions is all part of the debate and dialogue that's essential to
any healthy profession.
<<I can't tolerate publishing well-known falsehoods and outdated concepts,
especially when the practice of single-sourcing is starting to be heavily
investigated and implemented.>>
>From reading some of the followup posts, it seems that the biggest problem
with the article was that it took a valid but unrelated point (print and
online information are used differently) and extended this to condem
single-sourcing as a whole. That's certainly a misunderstanding and
misrepresentation of the issue. Again, I encourage you to submit your own
article to correct the misimpression. A well-reasoned and well-written
portrayal of the truth as you see it will do far more to correct the
situation because STC members are generally intelligent enough to recognize
a good argument and good facts when they see them.
--Geoff Hart, geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada
580 boul. St-Jean
Pointe-Claire, Que., H9R 3J9 Canada
"User's advocate" online monthly at
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