Dummies books

[Kristina Ricks <kristina_ricks -at- MAIL -dot- MEDICALOGIC -dot- COM>]

     Ok, I admit it, I'm a tech writer.

     I also am a proud owner of UNIX for Dummies.

     When I stared in a development group of programmers/QA where I was the
     only writer, and UNIX was the spoken jargon, I was lost. My co-workers
     would kindly explain things to me that flew over my head, and we'd
     both go away frustrated after half an hour of not understanding. Yes,
     I felt like a dummy, and no other manual started from that premise.

     I loved the fact that this book started from the point of view that
     UNIX is inconsistent, hard to use, arcane, and in many ways
     ridiculous. For once, I found somewhere that didn't treat UNIX as a
     holy icon that is only fit for the initiated. (And if you aren't
     initiated, perhaps you shouldn't be in this profession anyway...)

     I read it cover to cover. It was wonderful. I also eventually outgrew
     it, and found some other textbooks that went on from there. But for
     where I was at that time, that book was what I needed. The tone was
     not intimidating, I felt like a dummy anyway, and that book addressed
     that. The book reassured me that I was still perfectly intelligent,
     and UNIX was a weird construct that had grown up over time (sometimes
     in the dark like mushrooms). With that out of the way, here's how UNIX
     thinks about...

     I still remember the quote "UNIX cares _passionately_ about upper and
     lower case". Yes, perhaps it's not correct in some circles to
     personify UNIX and give it feelings, but in the heat of trying to do
     something, I could swear it did have feelings, usually malevolent
     ones.

     The other thing I noticed about that book... it was my most frequently
     borrowed (sometimes stolen) book on my shelf. By other writers, by new
     QA people, by the department secretary, by everyone but the
     programmers. They'd see the title, their eyes would light up, and
     "Please oh please can I borrow that?!"

     Anyway, I think there's something to be said for a familiar style,
     cartoons, etc., used well and for the right audience. Once again, know
     the audience. All of these communication issues are not black and
     white, many methods are not so bad as to be _NEVER_ used... never is a
     heck of a long time.

     [climbing back off my soapbox...]

     Kristina Ricks