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Subject:Re: Humor in Tech Pubs From:Stuart Burnfield <slb -at- FS -dot- COM -dot- AU> Date:Thu, 25 Jun 1998 14:09:13 +0800
Susan Brown <susan -at- COOKERY -dot- OTTAWA -dot- ON -dot- CA> said:
> We write documents that may be translated into as many as 9 different
> languages, and humour does not translate.
> However, you don't have to be funny to avoid that 'dry as dust' thing.
True.
When I call technical support, or have a question about a bureaucratic
procedure such as applying for a passport or mortgage, I dread dealing
with someone who comes across as incompetent, indecisive, long-winded,
over-friendly, dry as dust, bossy, or difficult to understand. Talking
to someone who's pleasant, knowledgeable and concise is a real pleasure.
That's the tone I try to adopt in my writing.
> Susan Brown
> From the Dark Side
>
> "My hearse will be followed not by mourning coaches but by herds of
> oxen, sheep, swine, flocks of poultry and a small travelling aquarium
> of live fish, all wearing white scarves in honor of the man who
> perished rather than eat his fellow creatures."
>
> - George Bernard Shaw
Well that solves the problem of catering for the wake -- I bet they
just laid on a barbecue.
Regards
---
Stuart Burnfield "Fun, fun, fun
Functional Software Pty Ltd In the sun, sun, sun. . ." mailto:slb -at- fs -dot- com -dot- au
