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:Re: Re[2]: what tools to lear... From:Romay Jean Sitze <rositze -at- NMSU -dot- EDU> Date:Mon, 27 Feb 1995 18:45:10 -0700
Johndan Johnson poses an interesting question.
> Should undergrad tech writing students be
> learning specific platforms, or should they be learning more general
> and transportable skills (audience analysis, levels of edit, user
> testing, layout, writing, interviewing, etc.)?
IMHO, Johndan is on the right track when he puts his primary emphasis on
the transportable skills. At the same time, students really need to
become fairly adept at using some of the specific platforms. By mastering
one, the students will gain skills that will enable them to more readily
master another. For example, I found that mastering Pagemaker and
Microsoft Word gave me skills and the vocabulary to successfully master
Framemaker and WordPerfect. BTW, I have found this to be true when
switching back and forth between the Mac and the PC also.
RoMay Sitze People are persuaded more
rositze -at- nmsu -dot- edu by the depth of your conviction
than the height of your logic,
More by your enthusiasm
than any proof you can offer.
-author unknown-