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.
Subject:Holy wars From:"Pritchard,Laurie N" <Laurie_Pritchard -at- MC -dot- XEROX -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 9 Jan 1998 10:39:47 PST
One of the dangers of holy wars is that they can result in no action at
all. Everyone's time and energy is drained by the fight, and the
documentation group remains stuck with outdated tools that no longer
meet its needs.
However, I believe that tool selection can be made far less painful,
and the "warring factions" reduced significantly, when a good process
is used and everyone has a chance to communicate their ideas in a
systematic and constructive way. Resistance to change is often fueled
by fear -- fear of losing productivity or even being out of a job.
Everyone involved in evaluating new writing tools needs to strike a
balance between being sensitive to these issues and not impeding progress.
Laurie Pritchard
Laurie_Pritchard -at- mc -dot- xerox -dot- com
Opinions expressed are strictly my own.