RE: Code Annotation of the Week

["Leonard C. Porrello" <Leonard -dot- Porrello -at- SoleraTec -dot- com>]

I wasn't evaluating the absurdity of message; I was quoting Robert.

Leonard

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+leonard -dot- porrello=soleratec -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+leonard -dot- porrello=soleratec -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- c
om] On Behalf Of Gene Kim-Eng
Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 4:38 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Code Annotation of the Week

In this case I would take issue with characterizing the documentation of
the 
message as "publishing nonsense."  The message itself certainly is
nonsense, but 
it is an actual user message, and not just hidden code annotation.  The 
programmers may believe it will never be seen because the system will
melt into 
slag first, but in the reality I work in, programmers are sometimes
wrong.  If 
customers and users see this message on their screen and cannot find an 
explanation for what event has triggered it in the documentation, will
they 
conclude that the product is bad, that it is badly documented, or both?

As a customer/user, I would prefer to have access to a nonsensical
message's 
real-world explanation than find myself staring at a nonsensical message
with no 
explanation for it at all.

Gene Kim-Eng


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Leonard C. Porrello" <Leonard -dot- Porrello -at- SoleraTec -dot- com>
To: "Robert Lauriston" <robert -at- lauriston -dot- com>;
<techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 3:33 PM
Subject: RE: Code Annotation of the Week


>I wasn't questioning who is responsible for what or whether it is
> advisable to publish nonsense. Rather, I was questioning the
management
> style.
>
> Leonard
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
techwr-l-bounces+leonard -dot- porrello=soleratec -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+leonard -dot- porrello=soleratec -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- c
> om] On Behalf Of Robert Lauriston
> Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 1:23 PM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Re: Code Annotation of the Week
>
> As a manager, I'm responsible for the quality of the work of people
> who report to me. We're not going to distribute patently inappropriate
> nonsense such as "pish posh Romana" except in response to a written
> request from some fool with the authority to insist, and I'm going to
> cover my department's ass so the fool takes the blame.
>
> On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 12:58 PM, Leonard C. Porrello
> <Leonard -dot- Porrello -at- soleratec -dot- com> wrote:
>> "a major red mark in their annual performance evaluation"? Really?
>>
>> Leonard
>>

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