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Subject:Re: ANON: CHAT: How times have changed (reply) From:Alan Miller <alan -dot- miller -at- EDUCATE -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 12 Nov 1998 09:11:07 -0500
In the words of ANON:
>>It was that puzzled look that really got me. It's like my boss was telling me that tech writers aren't as good as software developers. (sigh)<<
Guess what? That is exactly what s/he was telling you. In his/her mind technical writers are an overhead cost. Developers are a profit center. This is why the recruiting bonus for developers (who will, by definition, contribute to profits) and none for writers (who will contribute to what? Overhead costs!). The puzzled look was because s/he thought you already knew this, which you clearly didn't.
This is a pervasive attitude. What should we do about it? Organize! Protest! Burn your draft cards! Revolt! Writers unite and rise up! Write slogans! The bean counters will be the first up against the wall when the revolution comes! Oops! Sorry...wrong cause.
There are lots of worms in this can, it'll be interesting to see which ones get out.
Al Miller
alan -dot- miller -at- educate -dot- com