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Subject:Re: Seeking Feedback on Picayune Footer Nit From:eric -dot- dunn -at- ca -dot- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 19 Mar 2002 10:30:12 -0500
>>My response is: Can't there be both? Why dismiss aesthetics as unnecessary
>>and inconsequential? To me, any document that is poorly designed causes me
>>to question the quality of the material inside. Maybe that's prejudice on
>>my part, and maybe this is a hot button for me, but I don't think we
>>should fault someone for wanting a clean, consistent look for a document.
>>
>>Pat Glass
>>Editor, Technical and Otherwise
>>wordsync -at- swbell -dot- net
Certainly. If you can have both go for it. If the people who make the decisions
are open to suggestions and value your opinions give them the benefit of your
design experience. But if they have expressed a preference and indeed said that
something had to be done in a particular way, then when raise their ire by
arguing? Perhaps it's the difference between suggesting and convincing. Suggest
alternate solutions but you shouldn't be trying to convince anyone of anything.
Lime green and orange stripe may be an awful colour scheme to paint a hallway,
but if a client asks would the painter refuse? The painter might ask if the
client was certain that is what they wanted, but they wouldn't go into a fit
over it and they wouldn't get all frustrated if the client insisted.
I'd even argue in this case, "What's so bad about the design?" I think that
those that think a file name on the cover page is sufficient have an awful lot
of misplaced faith that a document, once printed out, retains it's cover page
and frontmatter.
My comments were taken a little harshly by the original poster. (and all was
hopefully smoothed over in off-line correspondence. Do please continue to ask
questions on the list Rose. ;-) ) They weren't meant to insult or suggest this
is not an issue worthy of discussion. What I am adamant about is that the
subject is not worth stressing out over. The original poster seemed genuinely
frustrated and annoyed. Even the "Here I'm forced to use Word..." pointed to
futher job frustration in my view.
Pulling one's hair out over small issues will only quickly lead to situations
like our friend Annonymous recently was having. Leave from work due to
depression.
Seems to me it was an open and shut case. Client wants it, put it on a separate
line so it doesn't bump other footer content, get finished template approved by
client, get on with life.
Eric L. Dunn
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