Re: Making it readable from the start

[Glen Accardo <glen -at- SOFTINT -dot- COM>]

> > Have you ever noticed that someone who is not a native speaker of English
> > just doesn't do a very good job of editing sentences?  I have.  Often.
> > It is a waste of their time and mine if developers spend time chasing
> > grammar errors.  They have a tendency to not be very good at it.  Tech
> > writers tend to be better at it.

> So, Glen, are you suggesting that people whose first langauge is not English
> should stay away from editing sentences?  Although I have a B.A. in
> English and am currently enrolled in the English M.A. Program and
> Technical Communication Program, should I stay away from editing simply
> because my native language is Spanish?


In our case, I'd really rather not have devlopers worry about sentences.
Sure, they catch problems, but they SHOULD NOT FOCUS ON GRAMMAR.  Our
DBA team consists of people who speak three langauges (Polish, Hindi,
Italian).  They know damned near everything there is to know about
databases.  They have extensive information about issues that I don't
even know exist.  However, I need that information -- our customers need
that information.  If these guys are worrying about commas and active
voice, they don't put the effort into COMPLETING the information.  If
they try to do a job I'm better suited to doing, the process of building
the manual is slower, and the manual produced if of a lower quality.

You shouldn't stay away from editing.  But I would keep you far away from
writing software.

------------
glen accardo                         glen -at- softint -dot- com
Software Interfaces, Inc.            (713) 492-0707 x122
Houston, TX 77084

Did the Corinthians ever write back?