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Subject:Re: Dumbing it down From:Simon North <north -at- SYNOPSYS -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 9 Dec 1998 18:19:58 +0001
Having attended Tafte's seminar in Palo Alto yesterday on
presenting data visually (highly recommended, as are his books),
where the subject of "dumbing down" passed review, I'd like to
second Professor Tafte's sentiment that even the phrase "dumbing
down" shows a contempt for the reader that runs counter to the
letter and the spirit of good technical writing.
Write to a level appropriate to the intended readership by all
means, but 'dumbing down' doesn't belong in our vocabulary
(unless we wish to return to the days of talking about 'lusers').
