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CLoris said:
> A few other essential items are an understanding of both DOS and Windows
> environments; basic programming in pascal, C, or other language (not BASIC);
> Knowledge of Databases, spreadsheet, word processing, and page layout
> applications; the variety of input and output devices on the market; and basic
> networking. This may seem like a lot, but it is what you need to know in the
> end.
This may be what you need to know in the end, but I seriously doubt that
this is a good definition of computer literacy at the undergraduate level.
> Some of these skills are usually found in today's high school graduates
> (sometimes not) and only the missing skills need be taught.
I suspect that most college graduates haven't taken programming courses or
learned about page layout applications.
> A fluent knowledge
> of these subjects allows the technical writer to function uninhibited in
todays
> computer environment. Simply, if a carpenter does not know how to use his
> tools, he will not build a very sound house.
But the question was not "what defines computer literacy for a technical
writer?"! If it *were* the question, I think that this would come close.
