Far more than (was Re: I need your ...)

Subject: Far more than (was Re: I need your ...)
From: Ian Macdonald <imacd -at- PC -dot- JARING -dot- MY>
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 1995 06:45:56 +0800

>Ian Macdonald writes:

>>My point is that technical writers do far more than write user instructions.
>>Like most things, we have to take this in context.

Robert Plamondon replied:

>Definitions are almost guaranteed to be presented out of context --
>in a dictionary, say, or a glossary. They need to stand on their own.

>But I must take exception to your assertion that presentation is "far
>more" than writing. I can't imagine how you'd draw this conclusion.
>Perhaps you can elaborate?


As I said "...technical writers do far more than write user instructions."
If you want to take that as "presentation is far more than writing" - I can
deal with that!

Presentation is many things: choosing the appropriate delivery medium,
analysing and coming up with the appropriate words, graphics when
appropriate, and layout of the pages/screens. All of these could be part of
a technical writer's job.

Yes, some technical writers do write user instructions but others work in
fields that require other forms of presenting information.

Maybe we should be called Document Engineers, or Information Product
Specialists. Personally I like Technical Writer, but I do not want to be
restricted to "writing instructions".
************************************************************
Ian Macdonald * Technical writing
24C Jalan Ampang Hilir * On-line help systems
55000, Kuala Lumpur * Web page design
Malaysia * Desktop publishing
* Database design and publishing
Voice: (03) 452 7553
Fax: (03) 453 2910 Email: imacd -at- pc -dot- jaring -dot- my
************************************************************


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