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: Am I crazy to switch to PCs? From:Julie Tholen <julie_tholen -at- CNT -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 3 Oct 1997 08:32:52 -0500
Don listed quite a few good reasons for switching to PCs from
UNIX. Until six months ago, I had spent the last four years on UNIX and
here are some of the things that have changed for me. Besides
better quality games - sorry, but Solitaire is my mind-clearer -
I have gained, in general, better tools such as RoboHelp; use of our
Windows-based applications/GUIs; a saner mail system; and more visual
stimulation. I also have access to a CBT training library, which has
been very useful in coming up to speed on new technologies.
As a FrameMaker user, I miss my third mouse button, but I have
adjusted. What I have missed has been the organizational control that I
had with UNIX for my directories. I liked the window structure better,
it was less fussy. I could get access to development documentation
easier. Now I maintain two accounts. I don't like having to worry about
PC maintenance, disk drives going bad, or having to backup my work at
the end of the week.
In short, I appreciate and even treasure some of the tools on my
PC, I like the lower overhead of UNIX a lot. Much of the
overhead/environment on a PC, is to me anyway, bells and whistles, and I
can take or leave them. Speed, security, redundancy, clarity
(strange word for UNIX, but...) or operation have a higher priority.
I don't know if that is anyone else's experience, but for me it
is six of one, half dozen of another. A manager the decision should be
made dependent upon money, maturity of users, future direction of
development.
Just my $0.02
Julie T.
TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html