[no subject]

From: Anatole Wilson <awilson -at- VNET -dot- IBM -dot- COM>
Date: Mon, 25 Apr 1994 10:20:05 PDT

Along the line of technical writers who don't write for software, I've held
several jobs that were not connected to the software industry. These jobs
were all in Pittburgh, Pennsylvania.

My first job was as an editor for an engineering support services firm, that
specialized in training workers and starting up facilities for the steel and
waste energy industries. There was some software mentioned from time to
time, but most of the information was about the equipment and processes
they used.

I also was Assistant Editor of a scientific journal for a brief time, and
wrote catalog/direct mail materials for a company that sold data
communications equipment (mostly hardware).

I can tell you that most of the technical writing that goes on in Pittsburgh
is only marginally connected to the computer/software industry. The writers
who attend the STC meetings seem mostly involved in writing for various
types of engineering companies. Many of those I talked to used their
computers exclusively for word processing, and did not know too much about
computers, software, or writing for software, other than the fact that these
were markets they may want to get interested in the future. Many of them,
however, were perfectly content in their current non-computer-related fields,
and probably won't go past word processors or spreadsheets.


I'm not suggesting there's anything wrong with this--it's just that I suspect
there are a lot of places like Pittsburgh where there are large numbers
of tech writers who don't use email or tap into internet, simply because
they don't need to, and they'll remain underrepresented on this list.

I did feel bad at the meetings I went to there, because I felt they
were missing out on the potential their computers had for making their
writing easier (okay--stop laughing), and were not getting clear information
about subjects like SGML and online information. (Or, as one freelancer
at a meeting put it, "so this online stuff--it's just like writing a brochure,
right? I can do that." No one at the meeting disagreed with him.)

P.S. Please don't think I'm putting down the Pittsburgh STCor any of the
professionals there--I'm just pointing out that the computer/software
industry is underrepresented there as much as the non-computer/software
industry is underrepresented on this list.

================================
Anatole Wilson "We are all interested in the
Sr. Assoc. Information Developer future, for that is where you
IBM, Santa Teresa Labs and I will spend the rest of
our lives."
awilson -at- vnet -dot- ibm -dot- com --Griswell Predicts,
all company disclaimers apply "Plan 9 From Outer Space"
================================


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