Re: THANKS! Re: Software engineer tech. writers? Do they exist?

[Dossy Shiobara <dossy -at- panoptic -dot- com>]

On 2008.04.18, WilliamFLawrence -at- eaton -dot- com <WilliamFLawrence -at- eaton -dot- com> wrote:
> I use open source tools every day, and I greatly appreciate the effort
> that goes into them.  However, writers have the ability to write about
> open source tools and get paid for it.  The book I'm currently working
> on covers a number of open source tools.  

What, software engineers don't have the ability to write software and
get paid for it?

We (engineers) do, but some of us still choose to give freely when we
can because it's a good thing.  Perhaps engineers are just more generous
than writers?  I don't know.

> Periodically, my literary agent circulates a list of subjects that
> publishers have asked her about, and normally a fair percentage of those
> subjects deal with open source topics.
> 
> Given the choice, I'll take getting paid for my work any day :-)

I do a lot of paid work, too, but I still find time to contribute to
open source projects.  I also volunteer and have volunteered with
non-profit organizations.  I sing in my church choir.  And, in all that,
I find time to raise two kids and be a husband and a father.

I guess it's just a matter of time before the folks overseas have better
language skills than born Americans, and even the writing can be
outsourced to someone at 1/10th the cost.  What then?

-- 
Dossy Shiobara              | dossy -at- panoptic -dot- com | http://dossy.org/
Panoptic Computer Network   | http://panoptic.com/
  "He realized the fastest way to change is to laugh at your own
    folly -- then you can let go and quickly move on." (p. 70)
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