atw: SEC: UNCLASS Are you content to be a 'content provider'?

Do any other technical writers (or technical communicators, if you
prefer) here see red when you're referred to as 'content providers'? 

The usual context in which I've come across this term is when someone
(let's call him Mr X) who can hardly write a coherent email succeeds in
persuading a manager that he's the bees' knees when it comes to
providing fancy web services. The manager, blinded by Mr X's Powerpoint
puffery and enticed by the cachet of an Internet/Intranet presence,
gives Mr X unheard-of powers to put his stamp on an area's public
communication. Mr X takes over all control of the styles and layout and
tries to get the poor writers to tailor their writing to *his* idea of
what technical writing is about. 

Unfortunately, Mr X's idea of what technical writing is about is
somewhat limited, as his technical knowledge is confined to his own area
of training, he never reads anything but promotional computer material
and the Win Program Guide and has never consulted a hard-copy manual or
even on-line help. To him the technical writer exists to create vehicles
for his showmanship - that's why he naturally adopts the term 'content
provider'.

I know that some technical writers are happy to confine themselves to
'content' and leave the formatting and presentation to others, so I
suppose I shouldn't be too judgmental. After all, skill with words seems
to be becoming a rare commodity. But for me the separation of content
and presentation is intolerable. I want documents (and web pages, etc)
to look how I've set them up to look, so I can be sure the material is
clear and easy to read and navigate. For me, the 'deliverable' is *not*
an ASCII string with some accompanying images, but a formatted document.

I'm rallying for supporters here. Do I have anyone with me in this fight
(in principle, at least)?

Howard

----------------------------------
        Howard L. Silcock
         Technical Writer
   Common Services SOE Program
Network Infrastructure Development
      Department of Defence
    Unit 3-4, 25 Napier Close
        Deakin ACT 2600           
        (02) 626 58828  
----------------------------------








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