Writing technique (might previously have been literate minority)

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(Bruce, no offence was intended. Just my obscure sense of humor 
getting the better of me. Let's migrate the topic.)

What could we profitably discuss, by way of writing technique?

I wonder if there are any "cultural" differences of techique 
or tone or other variable among (say) people who write for 
computer-related industries, people who write for heavy industry, 
people who write for consumer products, people who write business 
and other procedures, etc.

By that I mean, other than the fact that we'd likely refer to 
different style guides per industry, are there recognizable 
traits (to do with the writing, the organization, the types 
of documents, the greater or lesser dependence upon pictures 
or graphics, etc.) that would stand out in each segment?

A trite example might be that the woman writing the field 
manual for the D18 Caterpiller might have very little use 
for html or a HATT, and might have some concern about specifying 
waterproof, greaseproof paper and binding, and might need to 
format a multi-language layout with lots of pictures and 
exploded views of components.  Whenever I give 
this any thought, I wonder that we never seem to hear from 
the people who write the user or service docs for heavy equipment, 
ships' systems, building/environmental systems (including water 
treatment, waste management, HVAC, electrical distribution, 
premises security, and many more).

I mean, there are commercial and industrial buildings going 
up all over the world, all the time, and those include 
all kinds of systems, materials, etc., all of which are 
documented in some fashion. Hell, PAINT has to be documented 
fer-cryin'-out-loud. There are membranes and coatings and 
insulators and soundproofing and all sorts of increasingly 
high-tech building components and treatments that have 
specifications and instructions for installation/application. 
Does anybody on Techwr-l write this stuff?  Somebody, somewhere 
does. They probably use Word or FM or PageMaker to do it.
Many of them write in English... 

Honeywell and several other big companies must employ lots 
of people who write the manuals and other docs for HVAC 
and environmental control systems. The people who install 
those systems and the people who do the service for property 
management companies all over the world have to get their 
info from documents... who writes those?

I've only ever done tech-writing for telecomm and computer-stuff 
companies, so if working life and the requirements of the job 
are significantly different for people in those other areas, 
I'd like to learn about them.  Are those folks members of 
Techwr-l, but uniformly shy (is that a job requirement :-)?
Or is it their nature to not join a list like this?

I can't remember the last time I read a post from somebody 
who talked about writing for medical devices. Over on CE-L, 
there's a variety of such topics, so if those people are 
editing for those other industries, this suggests that they 
are editing the work of people who *write* for those other 
industries.  Where y'all at?


Kevin (in the computer/comms/security-related ghetto)

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