Re: OT: Funny Tech Writing
Years ago I found an amusing story online about tech writing. From what I recall it involved a student that submitted a paper regarding the mechanisms/specifications of a mouse:I once worked as a scriptwriter/producer for a video production company. We were paid to do some political advertising that included spots from two of the states most prominent politicians. One of them was easy...he read what I wrote as though he wrote it himself. The other fought tooth-and-nail. "I would never say this garbage," was his first words after reading the script. Five rewrites and seven takes in -40 degree weather and guess what...he read the exact words I had written in the first script. Since I never voted for him in the first place and was paid by the hour for my production time, I really didn't care how long he took, but it taught me a lot about politicians.
"A mouse has four legs, two eyes, and padded feet with claws."
The professor repeatedly returns the paper for rewriting, asking the student to expound on the description. By the tenth rewrite the once simple paper has grown into the biggest, most complex description of a mouse.
Finally, after the professor's last comments, the student submits the paper with her original description - and the professor thinks it's great.
Does this sound familiar to anyone?
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Al Geist
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OT: Funny Tech Writing: From: vrfour
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