radical revamping of techpubs

[Technical Writer]

Good point.http://www.tekwrytrs.com/Specializing in the Design, Development, and Production of:Technical Documentation - Online Content - Enterprise Websites> Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 11:10:43 -0700> To: tekwrytr at hotmail.com; gflato at nanometrics.com; framers at lists.frameusers.com> From: john at hedtke.com> Subject: RE: radical revamping of techpubs> > You're making an assumption that the market is driven by quality. It > is not, though that's certainly a factor. The market is driven even > more by good marketing.> > At 10:58 AM 10/19/2007, Technical Writer wrote:> > >And yet people still buy it. If they did not, issues of quality > >would be irrelevant; only the "quality" items would be purchased, > >the "crap" would languish on the dealer shelves, and we would be > >working rather than having this > >discussion.http://www.tekwrytrs.com/Specializing in the Design, > >Development, and Production of:Technical Documentation - Online > >Content - Enterprise Websites> >> >> >Subject: RE: radical revamping of techpubsDate: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 > >10:55:33 -0700From: gflato at nanometrics.comTo: tekwrytr at hotmail.com; > >framers at lists.frameusers.com> >> >> >> >I have seen enough bug reports in my time to know that quality is > >not subjective. If the software generates a mile-long list of bugs > >reported by customers and QA people, the software application is crap.> >> >> >Thank you,> >> >> >Gillian Flato> >Technical Writer (Software)> >nanometrics> >1550 Buckeye Dr.> >Milpitas, CA. 95035> >(408.545.6316> >7 408.232.5911> >* gflato at nanometrics.com> >> >> >> >> >From: Technical Writer [mailto:tekwrytr at hotmail.com] Sent: Friday, > >October 19, 2007 10:52 AMTo: Flato, Gillian; > >framers at lists.frameusers.comSubject: RE: radical revamping of techpubs> >The same could be said of pacemakers, missile control systems, and a > >host of others. That does not change the fact that in most software > >applications, perceptions of quality are highly subjective.> >> >> >Subject: RE: radical revamping of techpubsDate: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 > >10:09:42 -0700From: gflato at nanometrics.comTo: tekwrytr at hotmail.com; > >framers at lists.frameusers.com> >> >> > >>Quality is primarily a subjective opinion;> > >>Similarly, whether a product is crap or not is again an opinion, > > not an objective evaluation that can applied in all cases.> >> >When you work in the semi-conductor industry making high-tech > >instruments that are used in fabs (chip fabrication plants), quality > >is not subjective. If the tool stops running after a few thousand > >cycles or a part on the tool fails after only a few months of > >running, then it's objective. A part broke, the Tool shutdown, > >quality is crap, that's not subjective.> >> >TechWriters in my field document the software that runs on these > >types of tools. If you go to a fab, you'll see the type of tools I > >am taking about.> >> >BTW, why don't you identify who you are? You act so sanctimonious > >yet you hide behind a moniker. Have some cohones and tell us who you are.> >> >> >Thank you,> >> >> >Gillian Flato> >Technical Writer (Software)> >nanometrics> >1550 Buckeye Dr.> >Milpitas, CA. 95035> >(408.545.6316> >7 408.232.5911> >* gflato at nanometrics.com> >> >> >> >> >From: Technical Writer [mailto:tekwrytr at hotmail.com] Sent: Friday, > >October 19, 2007 9:37 AMTo: Flato, Gillian; > >framers at lists.frameusers.comSubject: RE: radical revamping of techpubs> > And I know of a CEO who used to either get there first, or let the > > wannabes struggle over the crumbs. Name of Bill Gates. Quality is > > primarily a subjective opinion; witness the 90+% of the population > > of the planet using Windows, despite the occasional Blue Screen of > > Death, or necessary re-booting orre-installing required. Similarly, > > whether a product is crap or not is again an opinion, not an > > objective evaluation that can applied in all cases. The Debian > > flavor of Linux is considered "the best" by some, and "the worst" > > by some. The opinions are subjective. Everyone TW wants to believe > > that he or she is producing quality documentation that creates a > > warm fuzzy in the user, and makes customers-for-life of the company > > that produces whatever is being documented. I simply suggest a > > reality check may be more useful. If the TW is documenting > > software, perhaps he or she should change fields to one with a > > slower pace of life (and writing). The option is to accept the > > realities of the marketplace, and how those influence and constrain > > the production of technical documentation. In a world in which > > dynamic onlne help files are rapidly replacing hard copy documents, > > it seems more useful to focus on developing a skill set that > > enables high-volume production of acceptable quality content, > > rather than obsessing over trivial (to most users) details of > > grammar, construction, or voice. In that direction may lie the > > future of TW--get it written, get it online, and concentrate on the > > Pareto principle of satisfying the needs of the majority of users > > rather than obsessing over the subjective opinions of the > > minority. < From: gflato at nanometrics.com> To: > > tekwrytr at hotmail.com; framers at lists.frameusers.com> > ...or similar > > biggies realize that time-to-market is everything, > > > > Time-to-market is not everything if you sacrifice quality. If > > you're first on the market but your product is crap, the fact that > > you were first on the market is irrelevant. > > I know a CEO who > > got fired because all he cared about is being first on the market > > but his products were crap and failed often. Other company's that > > were slower to market but turned out quality products, stole > > marketshare from that company. The company almost went under until > > the board of Directors wisely fired him and put a new CEO at the > > helm.> > > -Gillian> >> >> >Boo! Scare away worms, viruses and so much more! Try Windows Live > >OneCare! Try now!> >> >Boo! Scare away worms, viruses and so much more! Try Windows Live > >OneCare! Try now!> >_________________________________________________________________> >Climb to the top of the charts! Play Star Shuffle: the word > >scramble challenge with star power.> >http://club.live.com/star_shuffle.aspx?icid=starshuffle_wlmailtextlink_oct_______________________________________________> >> >> >You are currently subscribed to Framers as john at hedtke.com.> >> >Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com.> >> >To unsubscribe send a blank email to> >framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com> >or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/john%40hedtke.com> >> >Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit> >http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.> > Yours truly,> > John Hedtke> Author/Consultant/Contract Writer> www.hedtke.com <-- website> 541-685-5000 (office landline)> 541-554-2189 (cell)> john at hedtke.com (primary email)> johnhedtke at aol.com (secondary email) > 
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