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Re: poets as tech writers and programmers

Subject: Re: poets as tech writers and programmers
From: Al Geist <al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2006 08:55:59 -0400

I agree with Jessica here. One of the best writers I ever worked with was a former counselor at Atascadero State Prison in California. She left there to write a manual on how to operate the "Fecal Disposal System" for the first spacecraft. I figured that anyone who write a book on that subject had to be able to write software and hardware manuals. She was great. The worst technical writer I ever worked with had a MA in English and a Technical Writing certificate. He was pompous, arrogant and didn't have a clue how to write to a non-academic audience, and he didn't last long. So, as the old adage goes, never judge a book by it's cover.

Al


Jessica Weissman wrote:

Richard Hugo, one of the best and most accessible of modern poets, was a
technical writer for Boeing.

I'm no Richard Hugo, but I am a lightly published poet, a technical
writer, and a former programmer. My pay was on a par with the pay of
other, more prosaically-trained technical writers and programmers.

- Jessica Weissman

-----Original Message-----
From:
techwr-l-bounces+jessica -dot- weissman=hillcrestlabs -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+jessica -dot- weissman=hillcrestlabs -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr
-l.com] On Behalf Of Andrew Warren
Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2006 8:22 PM
To: vrfour -at- verizon -dot- net; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: Doc-O-Matic

...much snipped here

I wouldn't hire a poet to write software for me, and I don't expect most
software developers to write good documentation. The availability of
automatic doc-extraction tools doesn't change that.

Just my opinion, of course.

-Andrew

P.S. Actually, I MIGHT hire a poet to write software. But I wouldn't
pay him much.



--

Al Geist
Technical Writing, Online Help, Marketing Collateral, Web Design, Award Winning Videos, Professional Photography
Voice/Msg: 802-658-3140

Cell: 802-578-3964
E-mail: al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com <mailto:al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com>
URL: www.geistassociates.com <http://www.geistassociates.com> (online portfolio/resume)

See also:
URL: www.geistimages.com <http://www.geistimages.com> (fine art prints for home for office, and note cards for all occasions)

"When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer "Present" or "Not guilty.""
Theodore Roosevelt


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References:
poets as tech writers and programmers: From: Jessica Weissman

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