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Technology is from the root "technique", or the "how" of getting something
done. Hence Anthony's derivation of "procedure." It's the application of
scientific principles and methods to achieve some result, primarily in
commercial fields.
Every field of study - maybe even poetry - incorporates "technology." By
that I mean that I acknowledge the fact that there is something that can be
learned, understood and applied in a given field of study. Perhaps that's
what we mean when we ask a job applicant to have a "technical background".
Or perhaps closer to the point - that the TW candidate already have basic
and advanced [conversational? applied?] knowledge of said field of study.
But be careful - thinking about it too much could lead to a brain aneurysm;
or worse - developing a new methodology. ;-)
Len
-----Original Message-----
From: Anthony Markatos [mailto:tonymar -at- hotmail -dot- com]
Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2000 11:10 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Does Technology Exist?
A recent poster said:
A strong background in tech writing theory and a strong technical background
makes the perfect tech writer. And of course experience....
Tony Markatos responds:
Does technology exist? I have over a decade of experience in the software
industry. I have lead systems analysis efforts (including large scale
integration projects), and have done QA and TW. I still don't have the
slightest idea what technology is.
The way I see it, everything is procedure. There is automated procedure and
there is manual procedure. Every part (except for stored data) of the most
complex software product ever developed can be described as procedure.
Likewise, every electronic circuit ever designed is really just automated
procedure. I have read (Ed Yourdon) that all mechanical devices, including
automobiles and machines, are just mechanized procedure.
I myself, when I don't understand the procedural nature of a product, do an
intellectual "punt" and call it technology.
Tony Markatos
(tonymar -at- hotmail -dot- com)
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