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Re: What Are Writing Skills?

Subject: Re: What Are Writing Skills?
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 15:15:34 -0800


Tony Markos wrote:

Of course "knowing the product inside and out" means,
in the main, having a rigorous understanding of the
the end-users goals and how those goals interrelate. This is where geeks flop. They either can not or will
not relate to the user. They are, as you say,
basically antisocial. They either repel or are
repeled by the user.


If that were so, then open source geeks could write good documentation.

They can't - at least, not, as a group, any better than any other group of geeks can.

One of the main points of open source is that the developers are users. They're interested in the software because they want to use it. So, for them, the distinction between developer and user doesn't exist. Therefore, the attitude you suggest doesn't exist, and wouldn't be a barrier to writing well.

And, as a general comment, I would like to say that the idea that geeks as a group are antisocial is a stereotype that I would like to see buried and forgotten.

While some geeks may be antisocial, many are not. In my experience, the averge geek is inwardly motivated, intelligent, curious, and passionate in their beliefs. Many have strong political opinions. As a group, they build the Computer Age, and they keep it going.

I part company with them about the joys of programming, but the general ethos of their sub-culture has a lot to admire - certainly far more than that of the arch-capitalists whom we're all supposed to admire.

So far as I'm concerned, perpetuating the stereotype serves no value except to excuse those writers who don't know how to get along with geeks. Why should anybody be surprised if they can't get along with people they openly despise?

--
Bruce Byfield 604-421-7177
http://members.axion.net/~bbyfield

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References:
Re: What Are Writing Skills?: From: Tony Markos

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