Tech Writers and Programming [revisited]

[Steve Fouts <stefou -at- ESKIMO -dot- COM>]

There was a thread a few weeks ago about Technical Writers and
Programming Skills and I just read back through it on the archive
server. There was some good information there, but I'd like to
revisit it from a slightly different direction.

I am helping out on a committee that is developing some continuing
ed course work for Technical Writers. One of the proposed courses
is tentatively titled "C++ for Technical Writers."

I have considered that I may be qualified to teach such a course,
and if not teach, at least help a great deal with the course
development.

So, as a technical writer, would you be interested in taking a
15 hr. course on a programming language specifically geared
towards technical writing? If so, what would you expect to learn?
What would you expect to be able to do after such a course that
you can't do now?

Would "sister" courses, such as "VB for Technical Writers," "OOP
for Technical Writers," or "Java for Technical Writers" be needed,
wanted, or required? Or is "C++ for Technical Writers" far too
specific to lead off. Would a basic course in "Programming for
Technical Writers" be better?

We can discuss this on the list (I assume) or you can send me
private email and I'll summarize later.


    _______________   _____
   /  ___  __/__\  \ /  / _\    Steve Fouts stefou -at- eskimo -dot- com
  /___ \|  |  ___\  |  /  __\   "The best time for planning a book
 /   /  \  |      \   /      \   is while you are doing dishes."
/_______/__|_______\_/________\                   -- Agatha Christie

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