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: Baseline Skillset for Technical Writers? From:"Bonnie Granat" <bgranat -at- lynx -dot- dac -dot- neu -dot- edu> To:"Ed Gregory" <edgregory -at- home -dot- com>, "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 23 Dec 1999 02:23:13 -0500
-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Gregory <edgregory -at- home -dot- com>
To: TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wednesday, December 22, 1999 2:36 PM
Subject: Re: Baseline Skillset for Technical Writers?
>Megan Rock said:
>>
>> I must humbly admit that I am the type of woman who would rather take the
>> danged thing apart, figure out what the pieces are, see if I can fix it,
>and
>> then, if I can't, throw it away and buy a new one. I'll do the same
thing
>> with just about any appliance that conks out on me. But maybe that...
>
> Let me know where you throw these "broken" things.
>
> Your story reminded me of my brother's purchase of a "dead" Honda
>motorbike for $50 many years ago, and also of an important principle in
>technical communications.
> It seems that a man we knew accepted this little Honda in partial
>payment for some work he had done. He filled the fuel tank and headed down
>his driveway. Alas, his previous experience was with an old Cushman
>motorbike. For those of you who don't know, the Cushman had a two-cycle
>engine which runs on a mixture of gasoline and oil. The Honda's four-cycle
>engine didn't do well with this cocktail.
> The result: the little Honda "died" in a cloud of blue smoke.
> Now, considering himself somewhat of a mechanic, the guy tried
>everything he knew to try--everything EXCEPT running straight gasoline
>without the added oil. This was the one thing he KNEW FOR CERTAIN about
>motorbikes.
> My brother watched in amusement, then offered to take this "dead" Honda
>off the guy's hands. By this point, the guy was exasperated and more than
>happy to hand the project off to someone else.
> My brother took the bike home in the back of a friend's truck. He
>cleaned the motorbike's spark plug, fuel lines, and tank. With fresh, clean
>gasoline in its tank, this $50 Honda provided my brother with years of
happy
>motorbiking. The funny thing is that, had he been asked for advice, my
>brother just might have told the man what was wrong.
>
What you say your brother did seems rather cruel. I would hope technical
writers would not emulate such selfishness when it comes to helping one
another out.
