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Subject:Re: I'm taking my marbles and going home... From:letoured -at- together -dot- net To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 14 Aug 2002 00:41:35 -0400
In <003d01c242e7$8aaff0a0$9101000a -at- seine>, on 08/13/02
at 10:36 AM, "Paul Strasser" <paul -dot- strasser -at- windsor-tech -dot- com> said:
>>>>>To write about Ford cars, do I have to be a mechanical engineer? Can I
>be a Chevy mechanical engineer, or must I be Ford-only? Can I be an
>ASE-certified mechanic, instead?
>To write about software, must I be a programmer? To write about software used
>by engineers, must I be a programmer and an engineer? If that software is
>used on a Windows XP network, must I also be a
>Microsoft-certified XP administrator?<<<<
>You don't have to have a background in electronics to write about
>electronics. But it can't hurt, that's for sure. I see no problem with an
>employer wanting tech writers who possess some knowledge of the topics
>they'll write about. An AA is most likely - to this employer - the minimum
>standard to show some expertise in the subject. A BS or Masters degree
>wasn't required, only an AA.
>So to answer the litany of questions above: No - you don't have to be a
>programmer/mechanical engineer/network adminstrator to write effectively
>about these subjects.
Actually the answer is yes -- in some jobs you do need to be an expert and
have a good deal of hands-on expereince -- for many very good reasons. Do you
want examples? Tell me your expereince so I know where to start.
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letoured -at- together -dot- net
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