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Re: On the value of glossaries containing terms the audience should already know
Subject:Re: On the value of glossaries containing terms the audience should already know From:Hannah Drake <hannah -at- formulatrix -dot- com> To:al -at- geistarts -dot- com Date:Fri, 20 Dec 2013 10:14:59 -0500
I think it's kind of like: it's better to wear layers that you can take
off than wish you wore a sweater later -- as in, the extra terms don't hurt
anyone, but not having them might (example: users who don't have all the
technical chops we think they do, or maybe they're dusty and forget, as
already mentioned).
On that note, does anyone know what DCIM means? And why can't they just
change it to "Pictures"? And why "100Media?" What happened to 1-99? Is
there a 101? A 200? Feel free to answer me off-list. I came across this
yesterday when navigating through my HTC One to get a video from our
holiday party on to my computer to put it on our twitter.
On Thu, Dec 19, 2013 at 7:17 PM, Al Geist <al -at- geistarts -dot- com> wrote:
> Gene Kim-Eng wrote:
>
> "There's ALWAYS going to be somebody looking at a manual who doesn't have
> the technical chops to understand every acronym in it. Leaving out the
> definitions will almost certainly increase the odds that that somebody will
> be the person whose signature is needed on a contract or PO to buy the
> product."
>
> I would like to add to what Gene said. There are many of us who are
> long-time tech writers with the "technical chops" that still don't
> understand every acronym in a manual. You can either define the term upon
> first use, but those "first use" instances can get lost. An easy to find
> definitions list ensures the meanings of those acronyms do not get lost
> along with that contract or PO.
>
> Al Geist-Geist Arts
> Fine Art Photography
> Mobile: 231-301-5770
> E-mail: al -at- geistarts -dot- com
> Website: www.geistarts.com
> Facebook: Geist Arts
> See Also:
> Technical Communication, Help, Documentation Management
>
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--
Hannah L. Drake
Lead Technical Documentation Specialist
Formulatrix, Inc.
