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Yes, B.J. that's the safest assumption, always.
Since I advance Online Help to publishing following tester sign-off (or
after correcting found issues followed by retesting from the same
tester), then publish through a version control system that I trust,
emphatically, I had no doubt that I'd see my own note about the topic
that contained "automagically", and would be sure to change it before
rebuilding the app prior to release.
-----Original Message-----
From: B.J. Smith [mailto:bjsmith -at- ucar -dot- edu]
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2012 9:58 AM
To: Rochelle McAndrews
Cc: Cardimon, Craig; Steve Janoff (non-Celgene);
techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Techno-fuddyduddy getting anxious
Hi folks.
I love the the word "automagically," which surely would be harmless even
if it were published accidentally.
In my own work, however, I always assume that something will go wrong
and that any goofy placeholder text or images will be published. That's
why I don't use them.
I also always assume that microphones are on and guns are loaded.
Cheers.
B.J. Smith
On 1/20/2012 7:28 AM, Rochelle McAndrews wrote:
> Once, when providing concurrency changes in Online Help to software
> testers prior to a release, I purposefully left in the word
> "automagically" in place of "automatically" just to see if the tester
> was actually reviewing the documentation changes or just _trusting_ me
> and signing off without actually reviewing the documentation for
> accuracy.
> When he indeed found it and brought it to my attention, I assured him
> that even if he hadn't found it, I would not have let the docs go out
> with the release like that, but was purposefully experimenting to see
if
> anyone was really paying attention. He does have a sense of humor, and
> we both enjoyed a good chuckle when I told him that I was thrilled to
> announce that he had won the prize in the bottom of my crackerjack box
> for finding that practical-blooper. I thanked him, quickly corrected
it,
> and requested retesting before the release. He saw it was corrected,
> then signed off.
> Now, we still use the term "automagic" whenever something unexpected
> happens in the discourse of our collaboration. It's great to share a
> little inside humor with coworkers, especially when the subject matter
> can be somewhat dry, but I would never do it at the expense of true
> end-users.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cardimon, Craig [mailto:ccardimon -at- M-S-G -dot- com]
> Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 8:17 AM
> To: 'Steve Janoff (non-Celgene)'; 'techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com'
> Subject: RE: Techno-fuddyduddy getting anxious
>
> Interesting experiment. Wouldn't want someone lacking a sense of humor
> to find it, though.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
> Behalf Of Steve Janoff (non-Celgene)
> Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 8:13 PM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: RE: Techno-fuddyduddy getting anxious
>
> "This page unintentionally left blank."
>
> Steve
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: On Behalf Of Dan Goldstein
> Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 12:32 PM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: RE: Techno-fuddyduddy getting anxious
>
> Someday, I want to put minor, deliberate errors in a document and
offer
> a reward to the readers who catch them.
>
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