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Professional vs. Amateur (WAS: Self-employed, the lecture circuit , and conference fees)
Subject:Professional vs. Amateur (WAS: Self-employed, the lecture circuit , and conference fees) From:Robbie Cooper <Robbie -dot- Cooper -at- pervasive -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 11 Dec 2000 09:56:35 -0600
>No, because you have been published (and therefore paid) for your efforts.
>If you had not, you would be an amateur until somebody somewhere publishes
>your work. Lots of professional do pro bono work--that does not make you
>less of a professional. Never being paid for one's work *ever* is not being
>a professional.
According to Webster's:
adj. Abbr. prof.
1. Of, relating to, engaged in, or suitable for a profession: a
professional field such as law; professional training.
Conforming to the standards of a profession: professional ethics.
2. Engaging in a given activity as a source of livelihood or as a career:
amateur and professional actors.
3. Performed by persons receiving pay: professional football.
4. Having or showing great skill; expert: a thoroughly professional repair
job.
n. Abbr. prof.
1. A person following a profession, especially a learned profession.
2. One who earns a living in a given or implied occupation: hired a
professional to decorate the house.
3. A skilled practitioner; an expert.
As you can see, as an adjective or as a noun, "professional" does have one
definition that does mean "to get paid for...".
However, you can also be skilled at or conform to a skill set and still be
defined-at least literally-as a professional.
Robbie Cooper
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