RE: non technical, tech writers, But seriously now folks and STC blackmail?

Subject: RE: non technical, tech writers, But seriously now folks and STC blackmail?
From: "Mike Starr" <writstar -at- wi -dot- net>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2002 04:13:56 -0500


I don't think STC sets up the conferences to cater to a specific audience
because they "want" them to attend. I'm inclined to believe that the
conference topics are chosen on the basis of what might be of interest to
the membership. My understanding is that most (if not all) conference
sessions result from proposals submitted by members themselves in response
to the call for proposals published prior to the conference.

STC is a generalist organization... there are technical writers who create
software documentation and there are technical writers who write owners
manuals for lawn mowers and bicycles. STC can't be all things to all
technical writers. If the STC conference featured conference topics on
TCP/IP, object-oriented programming, security issues and the other sorts of
things that Andrew might find worthwhile, the technical writers who deal
with more mundane things like bicycles would stay away.

STC and its conference need to be targeted at ALL technical writers, not
just those of us who do software documentation for complex and highly
technical products. I've recently done documentation for PLC-based control
software for feed mills and asphalt plants but I would never expect the STC
conference to have a conference topic oriented at the inner workings of
PLCs or documenting PLC-based software. I kinda wonder if Andrew is a
security analyst who specializes in technical writing rather than a
technical writer who happens to write documents for security products. I
think there's a big difference there and if he expects STC to address the
needs of security analysts, then he's looking at the wrong organization.

Sure there are plenty of conference topics I'm not interested in... but
there are plenty that I am interested in. I'm an independent freelancer and
I pay for my STC membership and the fees, travel and expenses to attend the
conference out of my own pocket. I went to Chicago last year, I'll be going
to Nashville this year and I'll probably be going to Dallas next year.

I do have to agree with Andrew's criticism about the requirement that
invited speakers pay conference registration fees. I think at a bare
minimum, STC should waive the conference registration fee for the day a
person is scheduled to speak and if the person wants to attend sessions on
other days, he or she would have to register like any other member.
However, I'd also like to know more about how it came to pass that he was
"invited" to speak. Perhaps some other member suggested that Andrew should
submit a proposal for a conference session? And if he didn't realize the
fee structure in place, he should have "RTFM" <grin>.

I also wonder about the issues Arlen raised... I've never organized an
event like this on any scale but if the conference facility waives fees for
facilities in consideration of the number of rooms that will be booked by
attendees, then how come it costs me so much to register and attend the
conference?? Others have suggested that the conference is a cash cow that
subsidizes the operations of the society for the balance of the year. I'd
venture a guess that this is the case and that the information is available
to all members if they only take the initiative and ask for it or look for
it. US tax laws require that much of this information be public for
organizations of this nature so I'd say it's just a matter of tracking it
down. It's something I'm interested in but not enough to park it in my
priority list. However, I'll bet there are STC leaders subscribed to this
list who probably already know and would be willing to discuss it further.

Mike

---
Mike Starr WriteStarr Information Services
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Graphic Designer - Desktop Publisher - MS Office Expert
Office: (262) 694-1028 - Pager: (414) 318-9509 - Fax: (262) 697-6334
Home (262) 694-0932 - mike -at- writestarr -dot- com - http://www.writestarr.com


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