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> 2. I didn't attribute anything to "blind prejudice." (Toto, Toto! Watch out
> for that straw man!)
You're mistaking a generic "you" for a personal one. And you're ignoring
the "if."
>
> 3. We are all speaking from personal experience. My own positive impression
> of tech writers comes primarily from the posts I read on TECHWR-L,
> Techshoret, and Word-PC.
Fair enough. There are lots of knowledgable people on this list, and I'm sure
there are more on the other lists you mention. But I wasn't talking about your
opinion, nor entirely about mine.
If you spend any time among developers and executives, I don't think that you
can dispute that most developers and executives have a low opinion of tech-
writers. Show some knowledge, or even a willingness to learn, and they'll be
amazed. As a consultant, I've worked with over thirty companies, and I've seen
the attitude again and again. For example, when I reported a security bug at
one job, the team developer congratulated me in tones of amazement, adding that
he had never heard of a tech-writer finding a security bug in his two decades
of experience.
What's more, the "I can't get any respect" refrain that's often heard among
tech-writers is probably an indirect acknowledgement of the fact.
--
Bruce Byfield bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com 604-421.7177
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