Re: Odd survey explained

[Kent Dannehl <kdannehl -at- STARFISHSOFTWARE -dot- COM>]

The only thing this kind of methodology can supply is
more misinformation. I suggest a research design course..

" we have reason to believe" sounds a whole lot better
that IMHO but its the same ol' s..t


For example,

"Technical Writers have unreasonably placed their faith in software
packages"

(who are the Technical Writers and what is the source for this brain-dead
statement)

"nothing exists that resembles a methodology, rather, most discussion
centers around "style" as if every manual should be different for some
unspecified reason --  in fact, there is an annual contest at the
university of waterloo that gives merit for "best looking manual"."

(another incoherent statement. In fact there may be too many methodologies.
In fact I am not too sure about what ol' jack here
means by style. In some sense, style is methodology, but that would
be a long discussion. Writing has always involved typography and with
the advent of the web and integrated text, function and graphics, how
documentation looks has been taken to a new medium. Documentation and
software are more closely linked. Good looking "doc" is part of the design
of cool "software". Lastly, where does it say Waterloo is the  be all and
end all of the tech writing world???)

"we view this work as a vital aspect of administrative management that
has been overlooked for far too long"

What is administrative management anyway... Sounds like the department
of redundancy department to me

Jack is an idiot. Anyone who sends him information ... well I've
said enough...

kent



At 01:01 PM 7/28/97 -0400, you wrote:
>I asked Jack Bonney why he was conducting the survey
>he posted here.  His reply...
>
>
>
>readers and users remain very dissatisfied with the quality of
>documentation and manuals produced throughout business, industry, and
>government.
>
>we have reason to believe that the basic causes of this widespread
>dissatisfaction stems from an inadequate foundation (i.e. basic skill
>set) for doing this kind of work.
>
>"technical writers" have unreasonably placed their faith in software
>packages --  to wit: review all the information and discussion on which
>software package to use or to avoid, their features, etc.
>
>
>we view this work as a vital aspect of administrative management that
>has been overlooked for far too long  --  in re-engineering a solution
>that should be people-, platform-, and application-independent it is
>necessary to research prevailing opinions, comments, and suggestions
>and  then try to separte fact from fiction.
>
>i look forward to receiving your contributions.
>
>thank you in advance for your consideration and assistance.
>
>sincerely,
>
>jack w. bonney,
>
>vancouver canada
>
>
>--
>Don Sargent
>Template Software, Inc.       "I might only get three strikes in
>Dulles, Virginia             life, but I can hit foul indefinitely."
>sargent -at- template -dot- com                       -- me
>
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