Certification

[Frank Harper <Frank -dot- Harper -at- ES -dot- ATL -dot- SITA -dot- INT>]

---------------original message------------------
John Gear <catalyst -at- PACIFIER -dot- COM>
Certification -- why not use the obvious?

Perhaps that STC has the closest approximation to it that we are likely to
ever have already -- the publications competitions.

Those who win (in their own category, in their own language, country, doing
the kind of work they actually do in their own life) can be advanced to a
higher membership status, which we can award on the basis of their having
won the competition.
-----------end of original message----------------

I personally do not think that the pubs competition should be a valid criteria
for advanced membership in STC. Having been a judge for several years, I find
that the winners are consistantly those who use color, glossy paper, and bound.
For those of us tech writers who write for internal publication only, where do
we fit in. (Yes, I know that the rules specifically state that color is not
required, but just look at the winners and tell me that!) Just because I do not
publish documents in color doesn't mean that I should not qualify for senior
membership or certification.

Then what about those members of a team who produce a document and it wins. Do
all the team members get certification? including the student intern? - Come on
- get real.

So, I vote to keep the pubs competition out of the membership levels and the
certification process.
--------------------------------------------------------
H. Frank Harper       | I am not the same having seen
Technical Writer      | the moon shine on the other
hfharper -at- pobox -dot- com    | side of the world.
--------------------------------------------------------