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Subject:Re: Writers using own names From:Jane Bergen <jbergen1 -at- EARTHLINK -dot- NET> Date:Sat, 12 Jun 1999 23:40:29 -0500
What a great idea. I've done LOTS of screenshots with my own name
filled in, but then used PaintShop Pro to replace the names with
generic sounding Leslies, Kims, etc. Now I think I'll leave a few....
it will save me work but more importantly show prospective employers
that I not only wrote the manual, but did the screenshots and graphic
work, too.
But, er....I think I'll skip the developer name advice. I would be too
afraid that it would slip by my team of editors (usually just
me...flying solo!) and wind up in the hands of a confused customer.
Thanks,
Jane Bergen
----- Original Message -----
From: Joe Schrengohst <jschreng -at- CISCO -dot- COM>
To: <TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU>
Sent: Saturday, June 12, 1999 10:50 PM
Subject: Re: What kind of names do you make up?
>John,
>
>Most publications managers here in Silicon Valley have
>decided to make recruiting harder for "headhunters," so
>they eliminated the writer's names from the manuals.
>I often get around this by including my first and middle
>names (Joe Kent) in screens, etc. It's been a lot of years
>since I've ever had to show anyone a writing sample, but
>I have a whole library full of manuals from different clients
>that include the ubiquitous "Joe Kent."
>
>As for "fake names" in the type of application you're
>talking about I had the same problem recently for a client
>that's probably a competitior of your clients. We used a
>number of different schemes including taking the first
>name from line 1 in the phone book, the second name
>from line 3, and the phone number (inverted) from line 5.
>
>One "trick" that I've used over the years to ensure that
>the devlopers always read my manuals word by word
>is to insert a sentence similar to the following right in the
>middle of an obscure paragraph somewhere ---
>
>"This obtuse piece of crap was coded by <developer's
>name>. He (or she) can be reached at area code
><developer's home phone number>. Personally, I'd
>call about 3 am (Time Zone) just to make sure that
>you reach him (or her) so that you can tell him (or
>her) exactly what you think of it."
>
>You would be amazed how closely the developers
>will everafter scrutinize the most minute details of
>every thing that you ever write.
