Re: Advice, anyone?

[Gretchen Miller <grm+ -at- ANDREW -dot- CMU -dot- EDU>]

Excerpts from netnews.bit.listserv.techwr-l: 10-Sep-93 Advice, anyone?
Jacobs Chris -at- smtpmac -dot- ads (1262)

> Apparently the 'technical editor' of the client had read over the report
> for any errors of the type I mention. The red-lining has added numerous
> errors into this report. Colons where colons should NEVER go (ie after a
> verb, at the end of a sentence, etc.); misspelled words, and worst of
> all, it introduces inconsistencies into the report (numerals 1-10
> erratically replace "one" through "ten,", the periods are all placed
> outside of quotation marks and inside parenthetical expressions.
> ARRGH!!!! What is a person to do? Deliver what the client requests,
> right or wrong? Point out the errors that have been added and hope for
> the best? HELP!!!!!!!
I've always gone by the motto: When in doubt, ask why.  If you can, call
the client's technical editor and tell him/her that you are confused by
many of their corrections.  Ask them why they placed some of the colon's
where they did, and explain that you have always been told that
(whatever the appropriate punctuation is) is used there.  Tell them the
problem you have with their number system and ask them the reason for
the change.  Of course, phrase these questions in an "I'm curious, and
confused by this" manner rather than in a "you're wrong here, you know"
manner.  You may not get results this way, but, then again, you might.

If you can't contact the client's technical editor, then I'd say do as
Paul Trummel advises: just give them what they want with a note to leave
your name off it.

Good luck!

toodles, gretchen