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Subject:Re: Eng vs Writer, BULL, Writ... From:Ron Miller <RSMH -at- AOL -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 2 May 1995 16:03:41 -0400
Tamara Peters writes;
Won't it be great when Tech Comm programs in universities require enough
SOLID technical classes that entry level writers could actually read and
wire circuits, write and debug a C program, understand basic business
operations such as accounting and human resources, and build a basic motor?
I frankly don't agree that such knowledge is necessary to be a good technical
writer. Could it be useful? Yes, of course. Do you have to know such
information to be a good tech writer? I don't think so. I write software
manuals (along with On-line Help and training materials), and I have never
read one line of code. Yet I am able to write useful user manuals for both
administrators and end-users. I am not debating that your knowledge helps you
in whatever aspect of technical writing that you undertake, but for me, I am
virtually ignorant of such things, yet still can write manuals.