Re: What does it mean to be technical?

["Brian Das" <brian_das -at- hotmail -dot- com>]

Victoria wrote:
"Every good technical writer I've known could look at any code and at the
least figure out what is happening in it. While a good "technical" person
may not be able to program in code, they should always be able to look at
all the parts and figure out how they work together."

Victoria provides an informative illustration of the overlap between
software development and tech writing. I was a tech writer first, then a
programmer, and now I do both. I've found both fields require an ability to
parse and analyse and reuse and reassemble discrete pieces of information
(whether written in a human language or in Java). An eye for usability is
also an asset.

If you'd prefer to analyze Java and synthesize human language, be a writer.
If you'd prefer to analyze human language and synthesize Java, become a
programmer.

If you'd rather not do either, I've got a middle management job for you.
(Ha! I'm the funniest guy I know...)

Cheers,
Brian

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Robohelp X3, from eHelp, lets you quickly and easily create 
professional Help systems for all your Windows and Web-based 
applications, including Net. 

Order RoboHelp X3 in May and receive a $100 mail-in rebate, PLUS
free RoboScreenCapture and WebHelp Merge Module. 
 
Order RoboHelp today: http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.