RE: Software For Students

["Brierley, Sean" <Sean -at- Quodata -dot- Com>]

You know, that's half the freaking problem. I mean, we get a tonne of truck
drivers, retired engineers, secretaries, and the like applying for jobs as
writers and authors with:

1) NO language skills, abilities, or basics
2) NO understanding of the profession, be it pre- or post- computer age

English majors bring a solid understanding of the mechanics of the language
to the job (words like "freaking" ;?). Seriously, putting together a halfway
decent sentence is half the battle. Just because somebody is educated and
has been speaking English since they were one does not qualify them to be
writers.

College provides an excellent writer wannabe with the opportunity to:

1) Be an English major
2) Take engineering, programming, chemistry, and such classes as well

BTW, I was an English major, biology minor, took programming, chemistry,
biochem, and entry-level engineering classes in college (fluid mechanics,
etc.), not to mention foreign language classes, philosophy, and the like . .
..

Perhaps Mr. Vonnegut was speaking at a university with a lame English
department, characterized by conversations like this:

(Student) "Hey professor, when I grow up, what can I do with an English
degree? What fields of employment are there for me to pursue?"

(Professor) "You can teach, be a journalist, or work at 7-11."

Sheesh.

</rant>

Sean
sean -at- quodata -dot- com

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	bryan -dot- westbrook -at- amd -dot- com [SMTP:bryan -dot- westbrook -at- amd -dot- com]
> 
> Encourage them to study technical subjects outside of your writing
> program.
> I believe it was Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., who told a class of aspiring writers
> at
> a university to major in anything except English.

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