RE: We're Number 13! We're Number 13!

["McLauchlan, Kevin" <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com>]

The difference is that some of today's best (or most engaging... if there's a difference) SF might achieve the enduring status of mythology, but I'm pretty sure that none of my technical /f/i/c/t/i/o/n/ writing is going to last beyond next year.

Mythology = fiction of the past about the past
SF = fiction of the now about the (mythical?) future

I guess the other real difference (and the one that makes mythology more like techwriting, I suppose) is that when it was first composed, mythology thought to describe something that was supposed to have existence outside people's heads (in 'real' life)... but turned out to be fiction.

Comparing that to SF and to techwriting - SF _admits_ that it's fiction, right away.  Ahem.


OMG!  That means, techwriting is...   <see earlier posts - fill in own conclusions>


  - Kevin


________________________________
From: voxwoman [mailto:voxwoman -at- gmail -dot- com]
Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 3:50 PM
To: McLauchlan, Kevin
Cc: Kat Kuvinka; john -at- garisons -dot- com; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: We're Number 13! We're Number 13!

I thought my science fiction background was my particular leg up (and I actually took a class in SF in the English Department at my university). A background in science AND fiction is the perfect combination for writing about software under development.
-Wendy

On Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 3:32 PM, McLauchlan, Kevin <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com<mailto:Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com>> wrote:
 Kat Kuvinka suggested:
> >
> > Software systems don't really exist ... sure, everyone SAYS
> they're zeroes
> > and ones on a whirling magnetic disc, but has anyone ever SEEN it?
> >
>
>
>
> Perhaps theology is the best background!



Theology/mythology....  same-same... possibly the department has a different name, but...

 - Kevin (the debbil made me do it)


The information contained in this electronic mail transmission 
may be privileged and confidential, and therefore, protected 
from disclosure. If you have received this communication in 
error, please notify us immediately by replying to this 
message and deleting it from your computer without copying 
or disclosing it.


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Are you looking for one documentation tool that does it all? Author, 
build, test, and publish your Help files with just one easy-to-use tool.
Try the latest Doc-To-Help 2009 v3 risk-free for 30-days at:
http://www.doctohelp.com/ 

Explore CAREER options and paths related to Technical Writing,
learn to create SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS documents, and
get tips on FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATION best practices. Free at:
http://www.ModernAnalyst.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info. 

Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat