atw: Re: Technical Writer at Mincom, Brisbane

Peter (Fagan)

Here I am with a very chastened look.
Indeed, we should be extremely grateful for jobs posted on the list and
should not be so churlish as to pick at the grammar like hens picking at
a bloodspot.

So yes, thanks Kirsty.

It seems that when somebody points out an orthographic error, we all
yell "Tally-ho" and want a piece of it.
This is not necessarily unhealthy behaviour for tech writers -- we all
have to vent from time to time. And I guess there's a natural
competitiveness among (some) tech writers.

The thing about good writing (which is generally the path to good
information) is that we have to address the little problems to get at
the big problems. Things like minor punctuation and grammar problems and
the fluidity of common usage appear to take on disproportionate
importance.

I believe that as long as editors edit to add value, and not to
demonstrate their superior erudition, all's right with the techwriting
world.

Have a great weekend, everyone. 

-----Original Message-----
From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Peter Fagan
Sent: Friday, 29 July 2005 10:27 AM
To: Austechwriter (post)
Subject: atw: Re: Technical Writer at Mincom, Brisbane

Time for a reality check folks. Is it any wonder that so few
job opportunities are posted on this list?

So often it is the case that, when an opportunity is posted,
the omniscient ones take it upon themselves to pick apart
the grammar, the terminology, the rate/salary or some other
aspect of the post:

From: "nigeldawes" <nigel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>team are
Senior Technical Writer?
...Yikes, Kirsty!

From: "Brian Clarke" <brianclarke01@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
What's wrong with getting it right?

From: fullpwr@xxxxxxxxxx
I just have one word to say on this, albeit with gritted
teeth:
"preventative".
I don't use it myself, but I fear I'm going to have to
accept it from
others....

From: "BJA" <bashley@xxxxxxxxxxx>
If we don't protect the gates, who will?

From: Stuart Burnfield <sburnf@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To be fair to the folks at Mincom, in the next sentence they
go on to
restore balance to the Force:
> Full details of the job ad is available ...
> The Mincom LinkOne team are looking for an outstanding
individual
> ...  (I don't know the salary they are wanting to offer)
Presumably an outstanding one!

From: SUNTER Bede <Bede_SUNTER@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
The *real* problem is in "details of the job ad is
available".
Subject-verb agreement. This is got wrong so commonly these
days that I
can see it becoming accepted as correct in the near future.
But until
then, there's no argument: it ain't the Queen's English.


By and large, job ads aren't written by tech writers. Get
over it.

And not surprisingly, job offers don't suggest
salaries/rates that sound all that appealing. If you like
the sound of the job but not the salary/rate, negotiate for
more. If you don't like the sound of either, look elsewhere.

What I have to say to Kirsty is, thank you for taking the
initiative to make known to Austechwriter this opportunity
at Mincom with a team other than your own.

My impression is you didn't write the copy you posted. I
imagine you didn't have time to proof-read it either.
Perhaps you even thought it presumptuous or tactless to edit
someone else's copy. Almost certainly, getting hold of it
and posting it for our benefit took up time that you might
have spent on tasks more important to yourself and your
team.

Mincom. The People. The Experience. The Vision.

Austechwriter. The Pedants. The Immaturity. The Pettiness.

Peter Fagan
IntraDoc Pty Ltd



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