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Subject:Re: The tools tech writers use From:Linda Castellani <linda -at- GRIC -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 30 Jul 1998 18:59:42 -0700
At 07:43 PM 7/30/98 -0600, Doug Parr wrote:
>Ever notice how an ad for a writer always says something like "Must have 3
>years experience with ForeHelp"? Have you ever seen an ad for a carpenter
>that said "must have 6 years experience with a Mikita saw and a Stanley
>steel-frame hammer"? That would insult the carpenter, wouldn't it. Looks
>like someone has pegged us tech writers as one-trick ponies who can only use
>one or two tools.
>
Yes! This makes me crazy! I can't tell you how many contracts I have failed to get because I use a proprietary help authoring tool, and not Robohelp. Never mind that I am capable of developing a complete, context-sensitive, online help system, which seems the more important skill to me. If you know how to do that, you can learn the tool (and I can do that very quickly). But no, I don't know Robohelp, so I don't get the job.
It makes as much sense to me as insisting that I know how to use a Microsoft keyboard or a PaperMate pen.
"Only BIC users need apply."
GRRRR
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What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about??
Linda Castellani
Technical Writer
GRIC Communications, Inc.
1421 McCarthy Blvd.
Milpitas, CA 95035
