What's on topic (was: Re: Do X-Rays Damage Disks?)

[mpriestley -at- VNET -dot- IBM -dot- COM]

Callie (callie -at- writepage -dot- com) responds to an "off-topic" nudge from Eric:
>Protecting data intgrity is part of the job of being a technical writer.  It
>is as much a part of the profession as putting words on paper in a
>gramatically correct manner, and using the politically correct pronouns to do
>it with.

Two quick points:

1) If someone sends you private e-mail, it is impolite to repost it to the list
(even when the e-mail is as innocuous as Eric's)

2) While protecting data integrity may be part of my job, I would not consider
it appropriate for list discussion.  Some of our responsibilities are
appropriate for discussion, others aren't.  I divide (for example) as follows:

  a) Responsibilities as an IBM employee (shared by many non-writer types):
       - fill out time sheets
       - don't discuss confidential information
       - protect data integrity
       - don't abuse equipment
       - wear shirt, shoes, and pants

  b) Responsibilities as a _technical writer_ employed by IBM (unique to
     writer types):
       - write documents
       - single source online and hardcopy
       - coordinate multiple writers of a single book
       - write online help
       - test usability of docs
       - research multi-platform singlesource strategies

While most technical writers fill out time sheets, this doesn't make it
a "technical writer activity".  While only some writers write online help,
it is still a "technical writer activity", and therefore an appropriate topic
for discussion on the list.

In philosophical terms, this is a list for discussion of "techwriter qua
techwriter" issues, rather than a list for "techwriter qua software employee"
issues.

Just my opinion,



Michael Priestley
mpriestley -at- vnet -dot- ibm -dot- com
Disclaimer: speaking on my own behalf, not IBM's.

PS: Hope I'm not coming across as "holier-than-thou"; I've certainly posted
off-topic, by this definition, many times.  But I think Eric's right on this
one (as he's been right in the past, when he nudged _me_ for going off-topic).