TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
I've turned down a project writing a manual/help for liquor dispensing
software project. I probably wouldn't work for the tobacco industry either.
I would agree with your opinions on pornography and gambling. Another field
that I would find unacceptable would be abortion.
On the other hand, I personally think I would find working on Carnivore
interesting. Not because of nosing into anyone's business, but because it is
such a fascinating subject. I do agree that in the wrong hands it would be
abused. As a side note, I did have a chance to work on some sophisticated
encryption software. Not the software itself, but the software for
controlling the keys to encrypt and decrypt radio transmissions. These
radios were used by the DEA, FBI and probably some other "agencies." That
makes me think of a "funny" story. A druggie picked up a radio that was
dropped during a drug raid and managed to escape with it. The authorities
realizing that a radio had been compromised, sent out a bogus encryption key
to the radio to disable it. The druggie thinking the radio had been damaged
when it was dropped, took it to a shop to get it fixed. Thanks to an alert
technician, police nabbed the guy. That ranks right up there with trying to
pawn a police pistol.
I think anyone working in a field that they have moral objections to ought
to have their head examined. No matter what your stance is on an issue, I
can't imagine it would be healthy to work contrary to those beliefs. As far
as I know, we don't have conscientious objector positions in the technical
writing field.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: bounce-techwr-l-81996 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
> [mailto:bounce-techwr-l-81996 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com]On Behalf Of Bruce
> Byfield
> Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2001 16:23
> To: TECHWR-L
> Subject: Ethics and Job-Hunting
>
>
> With so many people losing jobs and everyone else worried
> about keeping
> them, I'm curious: are there any types of tech-writing jobs
> that people
> wouldn't take?
>
snip
>
> But enough about me. Does anyone else have areas that they would have
> scruples about?
>
> --
> Bruce Byfield 604.421.7177 bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com
>
Tom Johnson
231-264-5661 voice
231-264-5663 fax
Work johnsont -at- starcutter -dot- com
Personal tjohnson -at- i2k -dot- com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Collect Royalties, Not Rejection Letters! Tell us your rejection story when you
submit your manuscript to iUniverse Nov. 6 -Dec. 15 and get five free copies of
your book. What are you waiting for? http://www.iuniverse.com/media/techwr
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
