An Apology, Some Requests, and a Very Famous Tech Writer

["John M. Gear" <catalyst -at- PACIFIER -dot- COM>]

          First, I apologize, specifically to Ms. Graham but also to
          anyone else who took offense.  In no way was it my
          intent to flame you or anyone else.  My intent was to object to a
          practice that I consider to be inimical to the good of this list
          (and lists in general).

          However, as a professional technical communicator, I am
          responsible for the message actually received, not just the
          message I intended to send.  I am sorry indeed.  This has been
          quite a learning experience.  <Chastened>

          And I'm thankful to the roughly two dozen people who
          responded thoughtfully, both to support and oppose my position.
          It's clear that I and the three people who wrote to say they
          supported my position are in the distinct minority of people who
          cared enough to respond.

          As for the person who sent me e-mail to let me know that I was
          somehow both a "facist" [sic] and a "communist" at the same
          time, I am grateful that you took the time to unload your entire
          intellectual arsenal on me at once.  I hope it's not too many
          years before you are resupplied.  Are you _sure_ you didn't
          mean to post that to the entire list?

          And so, though I would like a chance to rebut some of the
          points raised, that would clearly take us far from the list subject
          and re-energize folks who disagree with me.  Thus I refrain.
          Please e-mail me directly if you want to continue a dialogue on
          advertising on the net.

          But, to accomodate different preferences, is it too much to ask
          that posts offering products or services or announcing the
          availability of same be clearly labeled, in the same way that
          some posters use [HUMOR]?

          A subject line of "Region 8 Videos with fax/mail options" did
          *not* alert me that the message contained a list of products and
          ordering instructions.  But a subject line of "[ADV.] Region 8
          Videos ..." surely would have.  Eventually, I hope that ads for
          STC products, services, meetings, and conventions gravitate to
          the STC WWW page, obviating much of this discussion.

          Similarly, thanks to folks who use subject lines like "RFI - Jobs
          in Timbuktu."  By using the "request for information" label you
          let the rest of us delete the posts when they are of no interest to
          us.  Thank you.

          If only the people who put "HELP DEVELOPER JOB
          AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY" as a subject line could
          _please_ learn to use a format such as
           "USA-WI-Sheboygan: Winhelp Developer."
          It would be ever so much appreciated.

          I'm also sorry if objecting to the video ad made anyone shy
          about posting messages on things they find worthy.  (Such as
          the person who prefaced a note about Karen Gordon's wonderful
          books with "This isn't an ad.")

          Please don't stop.  The best thing a list has to offer is the
          recommendations and discussions of tools and ideas by people
          with no stake (financial, personal, or organizational) in selling
          them.  That's the sharing of lore that I spoke of originally,
          which makes a list worth supporting.

          Peace,

          John Gear

          P.S.:  Dave Barry taught business writing for several years
          before becoming a columnist.  I think that a review of many of
          his best columns would suggest that he is still essentially a
          technical writer.  His best columns are descriptions of things
          exactly as they are, when he is forced to say, "I am NOT
          making this up!" because truth is so often stranger than fiction.
          So, if you want to go to a masquerade dressed as a famous
          technical writer, just get a bad haircut and a cheap guitar and
          tell 'em you're Dave Barry, lead guitarist for the "Rock Bottom
          Remainders."