TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Biz: Be careful how you screen your e-mail! From:Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca> To:CEL <copyediting-l -at- listserv -dot- indiana -dot- edu>, techwr-l List <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Sun, 23 Sep 2007 13:40:23 -0400
What with all the spam I receive, I've been deleting huge numbers of
messages from people with unlikely-sounding names. But because I work
with clients from all around the world, I've always been conscious of
the risk of blindly deleting a message, no matter how unlikely it may
seem: sometimes the message is legitimate, even when it sits amidst a
host of similar-seeming spam. (I get a lot of spam with "manuscript"
in the subject line, for instance.)
Take, for example, the message I received today from someone whose e-
mail address begins "mbeceli". Being a word geek, my first thought
was "no legitimate person would write to me using a name that reads
as _imbecilic_". But a little voice at the back of my head said "no,
wait!", so I opened the message to check. Turns out it was a
legitimate query. And it's not the first time that's happened.
So be wary what you delete. Sometimes you'll have to read through a
batch of spam to avoid missing potentially important messages.
----------------------------------------------------
-- Geoff Hart
ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca / geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com
www.geoff-hart.com
--------------------------------------------------
***Now available*** _Effective onscreen editing_
(http://www.geoff-hart.com/home/onscreen-book.htm)
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-