WOW: 15 Years! Thanks!

[Ned Bedinger]

Eric,

Your whim must have been a very right-headed whim.  I understand that 
technologies converged and gave us lists and websites and such, but so 
much of the 'net that has emerged, in the time while, and since techwr-l 
began, has not been built to last, being all sizzle and no steak. This 
list is the other side of the coin, if I may say so. It is and has been 
as appropriate as the internet itself, which I think is about as 
appropriate as anything on the planet can be. What a fine cooperative 
thing is going on here!

Your whim gave us, and still gives, an internet magnetic anomaly, 
drawing great tech writers into central exchanges of ideas and advice on 
the matters of interest and importance to the profession. Where else can 
anyone go to get that? Nowhere else, my friend. Your whim seems to have 
perfect navigation built into it. We're not plagued here with the 
internet's havoc. I can't account for it, but techwr-l seems charmed.

15 years. What's that in dog years, a couple of lifetimes? Techwr-l is a 
survivor. Paradoxically, it is also a lifeboat. Techwriting can be a 
rough trade to be in, and techwr-l has been my lifeboat often, when I 
need smart, considerate colleagues to help me work through work. I can 
find balance here, I can give balance here, and it seems pretty well 
adjusted, from where I sit.

I want to say that I trust in the value of this list as a technical 
writer's organization. I trust techwr-l as much today as I did when I 
first read it as a commentless lurker. It still dazzles me--I never have 
to wait long to see worthy new topics being handled by TWs representing 
an intriguing range of skills, brands, backgrounds, ideologies, and 
intellect. The list is awesome. It always has been, and if it went down 
forever tomorrow, I would never forget it. Keep it up.

Truly,

Ned Bedinger
doc at edwordsmith.com







TECHWR-L Administrator wrote:
> Gang,
> 
> I just wanted to briefly note that it's TECHWR-L's
> 15th birthday, which I find vaguely stunning. It started
> on such a whim, I'd never expected for it to be around--
> let alone thriving--after so many years.
> 
> Thank you, to all of you, for your critical role in
> making TECHWR-L invaluable to so many technical
> communicators (and prospective technical writers)
> over the years!
> 
> Eric
> admin at techwr-l.com
> http://www.techwr-l.com/
>