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Has anyone ever met a programmer who liked to write error messages?
Everywhere I worked, it was on the agenda to pass this task over to the
tech. writers, but this never happened, for a variety of reasons.
1. Time--write those error messages fast, cause you don't have time to
explain it to a writer and the product goes out TODAY.
2. Writer brought into process too late, as an after-the-fact and not
terribly necessary part of the process.
3. Software not available for testing by writer (who can then edit the terse
programese that the developer is obliged to provide) until too late.
Or, to mimic the phrase about how to make a business a success:
"There are three impediments to writers writing or editing error
messages: time, time, and time."
Regards,
Gwen "sorry_about_the_formal_signature_forgot_to_change_it" Gall
Gwen Gall Internet address: ggall -at- ca -dot- oracle -dot- com
Technical Writer Oracle*Mail address: ggall.ca
Research and Business Development
Oracle MultiDimension
Oracle Canada
Oracle Canada Research and Development Centre
975 St. Joseph Blvd.
Suite 228, Telephone: (819) 772-0594
Hull, Quebec J8Z 1W8 FAX: (819) 772-2830
