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.
> From: "Mayberry, Louise" <LOUISEM -at- CRONUS -dot- AIINET -dot- COM>
> To try to keep informed and be of help when possible, I subscribed to the
> digest form of the techwriter list rather than receive mega messages on my
> system. So, if this reaches the list, please do not repeat the question
> someone asks on every response.
As someone who receives each post to the techwriter list as a separate
mail message, I disagree completely. To wit:
* I need context, because I delete a mail message once I've read it,
and responses generally begin showing up a half hour to a half day later,
depending on the nature of the question as well as the health of the
internet connections. (And I may not read the message in the first
place if my mailbox is overflowing or if the subject line
doesn't look too promising.)
* It takes me a lot less time to quote an author of a mail message than
to restate the question in my own words. Similarly, it takes me less
time to read a mail message if I can recognize a familiar passage
than if I have to read a longer-winded reply.
* It's just standard netiquette to quote the author. It helps prevent
twisting of words.
Kevin Harper
Tivoli Systems
kevinh -at- tivoli -dot- com
