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Subject:Re: Making it readable from the start From:Glen Accardo <glen -at- SOFTINT -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 27 Jan 1995 13:07:50 -0600
> > when I ask someone to review
> > what I've written, making sure that it is correct and complete, they point
> > out comma problems and other useless drivel.
> >
> Why don't we stop complaining about this kind of thing and acknowledge
> that mistakes of grammer and punctuation aren't just "useless"
> --they're counterproductive. They get in people's way. If you hadn't
> put them there, people wouldn't be distracted by them.
Have you ever noticed that someone who is not a native speaker of English
just doesn't do a very good job of editing sentences? I have. Often.
It is a waste of their time and mine if developers spend time chasing
grammar errors. They have a tendency to not be very good at it. Tech
writers tend to be better at it.
What is exceptionally important is maximizing the use of each person's
ability. If Luigi, Piotr, and Vikas check the completeness of the manual
and the correctness of the information, I can deal with periods, commas,
active voice, etc. after I know that everything is written.
------------
glen accardo glen -at- softint -dot- com
Software Interfaces, Inc. (713) 492-0707 x122
Houston, TX 77084