Re: [TCP] Word choice: Might or May?

[Cardimon, Craig]

> 
> I disagree with Sharon and Paula completely...
> 
> OK, no I don't. I just wanted to say that.
> 
> Unless I was being sarcastic, which is rarely good in a technical
> document, I would not tell the reader that if s/he performed some
action
> then some result "might" happen.  

*s/he* -- ? Ugh. Just use *they* It looks much cleaner.
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[TCP] Why we become technical writers

[Cardimon, Craig]

I thought I would pass this along:

http://www.helpscribe.com/2008/04/why-we-become-technical-writers.html

-- Craig

 


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Re: [TCP] intros

[Cardimon, Craig]

I am a lurker and sometime contributor. 

 

Diane Evans, who recently posted, happens to be my technical writing
mentor, and she rocks. 

 

She is the best. I highly recommend every technical writer or "wannbe"
have a mentor.

 

Diane has enough experience to fill me in on the DOs, and -- even more
importantly -- the DO NOTs.

 

With her help and gentle guidance, I passed my one-year anniversary as a
tech writer on December 4, 2007.

 

 

Craig Cardimon

Technical Writer

Marketing Systems Group

[EMAIL PROTECTED]  

 

 


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[TCP] Technical Writer blog

[Cardimon, Craig]

Something I came across in my travels that I thought I would share with
you folks:

 

http://www.infinitediversity.com.au/techwriter/archives/category/tech-wr
iter/

 

This has been cross-posted.

 

-- Craig

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[TCP] Another introduction

[Cardimon, Craig]

I don't believe I ever properly introduced myself, but that's the way I
like it. Sneak in the back door and head for the snack tray - grin.

 

I have a BS in biology and Technical Writing Certificate from Penn
State. I also have an MA in English from Wright State University in
Ohio. I spent summers working as a proofreader and blueline proofer.
After getting out of college in 1983, I got a job proofreading. I tired
of that in a few years and went back to school. I graduated from Wright
State in 1989 and got married in 1991. We met at the school's newspaper,
where she worked as a typesetter. I was their copy editor, proofreader,
and one of their staff writers. I sense a theme here.

 

I worked for awhile The Cincinnati Downtowner as its sole copy editor,
but left when I realized I could not afford to get married if I worked
there!

 

We moved east and lived with my parents for a few years. Boy was that
fun. After the inquisition ended, we moved into our own small townhouse.
We're still there today. We still haven't found the cat yet.

 

I worked at a tiny online database company doing data entry starting in
1993, and moved up the ladder to database programming, but got paid as
data entry. They were a bit tight-fisted with money. For awhile, I was
their only database programmer. Everyone wanted to write glamorous
marketing materials. No one wanted to write code. This was back when you
wrote your own HTML by hand. No application did it for you.

 

I eventually switched companies, and was happy at the new place until
the Internet Bubble burst. Lots of heads rolled, mine included. A long
dry year passed, during which both the death of the Web and tech itself
were gravely intoned by misinformed pundits. I found myself back AT the
tiny database company, which was still in business, but not for long.
Fortunately, I was working FOR another company by then. 

 

When my project finished up, an opportunity to switch careers into
technical writing at another company came knocking, and I opened the
door. I had tried several times to break into technical writing, but
somehow never quite made it. [Shakes head.] This time I did, in about
three days. Interview on day one. Phone offer on day two. Email offer on
day three. I was in.

 

I recently celebrated one whole year as a real technical writer. I have
several projects to my credit now. One of the three top guys, the one
who interviewed and hired me, recently told me he had seen some of my
documentation said it looked great. Yippee! 

 

I also help the janitor with the Swiffer Mop when I'm in early enough.
No job is too small.

 

The weird thing is, I believe the ten years I spent as a web-database
programmer made me a technical writer than I would have been otherwise.
So, not too many regrets.

 

 

 

Craig Cardimon

Technical Writer

Marketing Systems Group

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

 

 

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Re: [TCP] Telecommuting is mostly positive

[Cardimon, Craig]

Dori wrote:

>

Sigh, I'm counting it a major victory that I've managed to move us past
"if her fingers ain't moving on the keyboard she can't be writing".

Consideration of telecommuting is far down the road.

<

Well, we should be grateful for that. I try to be grateful for one thing
every day. It is a shame, however, that many of us are still fighting
the fingers-on-keyboard vs. are-we-working-or-not battle. Yikes.

Craig



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Re: [TCP] Telecommuting has mostly positive consequences

[Cardimon, Craig]

Understood and agreed. Sigh.

Eventually, telecommuting won't be a privilege to be abused. It will be
business as usual. THAT will be cool.

Also, face-time counts, big-time. I make sure I am one of the first into
the office every day. 

That helps when the guy who owns the place greets me by name in the
morning in the hallway, and I return his greeting. I doubt this would
happen if I worked from home. For one thing, I wouldn't be here to
greet!

Personally, I would go for maybe one day a week at home. But I just
don't know.

Telecommuting is cool and convenient. Face-time is a heavy worthwhile
investment that requires your face to spend time in the office being
seen getting things done.

We have two opposing forces. I love the IDEA of telecommuting, but I'm
still siding with face-time. Face-time has more muscle.

-- Craig


-Original Message-
From: Charles Beck [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 1:17 PM
To: Cardimon, Craig
Cc: tcp@techcommpros.com
Subject: RE: [TCP] Telecommuting has mostly positive consequences

I'm not really sure why, to be honest. I don't believe it is for the
reasons you posit. I don't *think* it is because he doesn't trust me to
be working. He knows me better than that, I believe. 

I think it is more because the larger corporate culture discourages it.
Although I work for a very progressive and forward-thinking company (in
most respects), the corporate culture also shares this value. As I
understand it, before we were acquired by the current parent company (I
wasn't here yet), telecommuting was not only accepted, it was
encouraged, to the point where the company had employees living
literally all over the North American continent. Then when the current
parent company acquired us, the corporate culture changed, and they no
longer encourage telecommuting, preferring for the most part to use it
only in case of emergency. 

And, if I have a good reason to work from home, be it health, bad
weather, or family needs, he generally does not oppose it. He just
doesn't want me to abuse the privilege, whatever that means to him-even
if it's only not violating the "official company line". 

That's just my guess, though. Someday I'll work up the courage to ask
him more directly about it. 

In the meantime, I'm reasonably content, because I do understand the
value of face-time and the serendipitous conversations around the
microwave or coffee machine, both of which would not happen if I were
telecommuting all the time. I really would only want to telecommute one
or two days a week, to be perfectly honest. And it's certainly not worth
jeopardizing a great working relationship. If he feels that way about
it, it is no great burden for me to respect that and go with it. 

Chuck


-Original Message-
From: Cardimon, Craig [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 12:15
To: Charles Beck
Cc: tcp@techcommpros.com
Subject: RE: [TCP] Telecommuting has mostly positive consequences


>>>>>

I knew this was true for me, but it's nice to know there is some formal
research to "prove" it. Now, if I could just convince my manager. He's a
really great manager, but he has this one tiny little flaw: He doesn't
really like telecommuting. *sigh*

<<<<<

The inquisitive part of me really wants to know why. 

If he has an MBA, the reason is clear enough. It's part of the
education. If you can't see them working, you can't trust them to be
working. Management vs. Employees. 

There's got to be a reason. Time to drag him into the 21st Century, or
he will be the one left behind, when people begin leaving for jobs where
they will be allowed to telecommute.



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Re: [TCP] Telecommuting has mostly positive consequences

[Cardimon, Craig]

>

I knew this was true for me, but it's nice to know there is some formal
research to "prove" it. Now, if I could just convince my manager. He's a
really great manager, but he has this one tiny little flaw: He doesn't
really like telecommuting. *sigh*

<

The inquisitive part of me really wants to know why. 

If he has an MBA, the reason is clear enough. It's part of the
education. If you can't see them working, you can't trust them to be
working. Management vs. Employees. 

There's got to be a reason. Time to drag him into the 21st Century, or
he will be the one left behind, when people begin leaving for jobs where
they will be allowed to telecommute.



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Re: [TCP] rolling heads

[Cardimon, Craig]

>> That's the last straw. Anybody start dissing WinHelp and some 
heads are gonna roll. <<

Nothing like a few rolling heads (and maybe a case of beer) to get a
conversation going. It's about time this list got interesting. GRIN.

-- Craig



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Re: [TCP] Be the ball

[Cardimon, Craig]

I hope you caught it last night, where Sock made out with Gladys...in a
dream. His non-stop yelling reaction upon waking reminded me of classic
Bill Murray.

And here I though they didn't make comedians like Bill Murray anymore.

Ray Wise is perfect.


-Original Message-
From: John Hedtke [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 10:21 AM
To: Cardimon, Craig; Bill Swallow
Cc: tcp@techcommpros.com
Subject: RE: Be the ball

Oh, we do!  I love that show.  The casting on the Devil is very 
good.  And it's amazing that Sock hasn't forgotten to breathe by now: 
dumber than hair AND the poster boy for slobs, together in one 
package.  Sheesh!

At 07:19 AM 11/14/2007, Cardimon, Craig wrote:

>I always liked that expression, "Be the ball."  I've only run into it
>in "Caddyshack."
>
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
>You should watch "Reaper." TV show about a young slacker whose parents
>sold his soul to the Devil. Then he is catches souls who have escaped
>from Hell. Good show. Ray Wise is Lucifer.
>
>The slacker's best friend has a great line. They work at a Best Buy
>sendup. At Halloween, the slacker is made to wear the pumpkin outfit
and
>draw in customers. He hates it, of course. The best friend says
>something like, When they make you wear the Pumpkin Suit, OWN the
>Pumpkin.
>
>Be the Ball. Own the Pumpkin.
>
>
>-- Craig

Yours truly,

John Hedtke
Author/Consultant/Contract Writer
www.hedtke.com <-- website
Region 7 Director, STC
541-685-5000 (office landline)
541-554-2189 (cell)
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (primary email)
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (secondary email) 


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Re: [TCP] Be the ball

[Cardimon, Craig]

I always liked that expression, "Be the ball."  I've only run into it 
in "Caddyshack."

>

You should watch "Reaper." TV show about a young slacker whose parents
sold his soul to the Devil. Then he is catches souls who have escaped
from Hell. Good show. Ray Wise is Lucifer. 

The slacker's best friend has a great line. They work at a Best Buy
sendup. At Halloween, the slacker is made to wear the pumpkin outfit and
draw in customers. He hates it, of course. The best friend says
something like, When they make you wear the Pumpkin Suit, OWN the
Pumpkin.

Be the Ball. Own the Pumpkin.


-- Craig


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Re: [TCP] auto-assign

[Cardimon, Craig]

I never bother giving my opinion to any organization because I figure no
one really cares anyway. 

This time I did. I responded. Thoughtfully. 

Today I get an email saying, "Our records indicate you haven't responded
to our survey."

The hell I didn't.

I am more than slightly disappointed.

Craig Cardimon
Technical Writer
Marketing Systems Group
www.m-s-g.com
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
267-558-3155




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Re: [TCP] reducing call times

[Cardimon, Craig]

<< Well, yeah, but you might have done that by unplugging half the
phones. >>

Or by answering the phones half the time.

Or by having half-days.


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Re: [TCP] Tuition reimbursement and corporate goals

[Cardimon, Craig]

Sean wrote:

We just did our self-evaluations for our employer.

At the department meeting today, the boss said getting a masters degree
was not an objective that supported company goals and was not a good
objective for our self reviews.

Yours truly mentioned pursuing a masters degree in his self review.

...

Additionally, my employer pays folks with an MA more than folks with a
BA, and folks with a PhD significantly more, for the same level of work.
And, allegedly, my employer does have tuition reimbursement, though I
can find no examples of it.

So, when I heard the statement from my boss about doing graduate
coursework was not an objective that supported company goals, I was a
little put off.

My response:

Graduate coursework is considered personal, not corporate. It might make
you a better, more well-rounded employee, but that is not how is it
seen. Your taking advantage of tuition reimbursement is not going to
directly help your company make money or help your boss look good. And
that is what you are there for.


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Re: [TCP] Is Technical Writing Your Calling

[Cardimon, Craig]

Interesting article. Thanks for pointing it out.

I enjoy "clearly communicating complex concepts or procedures" and I
believe I'm good at it.

Craig



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DOCUMENTATION & TRAINING WEST 07: THE USER EXPERIENCE

April 18-21, 2007 ~ Vancouver BC ~ Marriott Pinnacle ~ free city tour
40+ sessions * free workshops * free iPod offer * www.doctrain.com
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Re: [TCP] Appropriate humor in tech comm

[Cardimon,Craig]

I leave all humor out of my writing, editing, and all that. I can not
predict what someone else might funny, or even offensive, for that
matter. 

I have been told my sense of humor is as dry as old bones. Still, I
check my sense of humor at the door in the morning.

When I am at home, I like to think I have a sarcastic, dour wit. That
would not always wash at work, so I turn it off. It is for the best. 

It was great at my college newspaper, though!

-- Craig


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Re: [TCP] Are Technical Writers Losing Their Grip on Reality?

[Cardimon,Craig]

--

Message: 1
Date: Sun,  4 Mar 2007 21:05:11 +0200 (IST)
From: Svi Ben-Elya <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [TCP] Are Technical Writers Losing Their Grip on Reality?
To: tcp@techcommpros.com
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Elephant.org.il just reported on a recent study that found
that many Israeli technical writers have begun losing their
grip on reality. Although most technical writers don't take
the study seriously many of you may enjoy reading it.

- Svi Ben-Elya -
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

--

LOSING their grip on reality? Ha!

I never had a grip on reality in the first place. So there.

Insert best "Plotting To Take Over The World Laughter" here.

-- Craig


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Re: [TCP] Organisations

[Cardimon,Craig]

Just STC thus far. 

-- Craig
--

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 09:16:04 -
From: "Gordon McLean" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [TCP] Organisations
To: 
Message-ID:
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain;   charset="us-ascii"

Curiosity killed the cat, and I was wondering...
 
What professional organisations are you a member of? STC? ISTC? HCI?
IAI?
 
Or are all those acronyms just an annoyance and a waste of money?
 
Gordon



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[TCP] "Tons of work" is a good thing

[Cardimon,Craig]

> Four and a half years later, I still have tons of work in front of me.
>:)
>
> Diane Evans
> Requirements Analyst
> ASQ CSQE
> Rosetta Inpharmatics
> 206-802-6560

My first thought upon reading your post was, "Hey, two months later and
I too still have tons of work to do!"

-- Craig


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Re: [TCP] Documentation Request Metrics

[Cardimon,Craig]

--

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 12:39:14 -0500
From: "Milan Davidovic" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [TCP] Documentation Request Metrics
To: tcp@techcommpros.com
Message-ID:
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

On 1/25/07, Cardimon,Craig <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Then we'd get a phone call, telling us to drop everything and work on
> the CIO's buddy's project. We explained the inequities of this system,
> compared to first-come-first-served. His response? That's our problem,
> not his.

Could he have based his decision on the importance of the project to
the business?

-- 
Milan Davidovic
http://altmilan.blogspot.com
http://www.terminus1525.ca/studio/view/2758

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Not really. He simply didn't want to hear any whining.

Craig


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Re: [TCP] Documentation Request Metrics

[Cardimon,Craig]

That MIGHT work just fine, depending on how much politics plays a part
in how your company/department functions. I worked in the web department
for a company where we were flooded with requests. We instituted a
priority list for that very reason. We logically reasoned it out and
made it happen.

Problem is, department heads would come over to make sure their
department's project was first. When we told them they were not, they
promptly went to see the CIO. Most department heads were quite friendly
with him. 

Then we'd get a phone call, telling us to drop everything and work on
the CIO's buddy's project. We explained the inequities of this system,
compared to first-come-first-served. His response? That's our problem,
not his.

Craig

--

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 06:47:06 -0800
From: "James Barrow" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [TCP] Documentation Request Metrics
To: 
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain;   charset="us-ascii"

Morning all,

 

I'm developing a Documentation Request system at my new job, since I am
supporting several departments that will say that they're project takes
priority.

 

I've written the policy and procedure, but I need something objective to
measure a request's priority.  My idea was something along these lines:

 

Go Live Date

1 week = 5 points

4 weeks = 3 points

 

Test Environment set up = 1 point

Not set up = -1 point

 

You get the idea.  This way I can show the requester and my boss how a
request was weighted, and thus placed in the Documentation Request
Queue.

 

A member from TOL (the other list) remembered that JoAnn T. Hackos
created
something like this in her book Managing Your Documentation Projects.
I'm
fairly certain that I own this book, but it's still packed away with my
other books (think final scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark):

 



 

I'm just looking for that metric.  That table that I can configure as a
filter to prioritize documentation projects.  If anyone has this at
their
fingertips, I'd appreciate taking a look at it.

 

Thanks,

 

Jim




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Re: [TCP] Indexing

[Cardimon,Craig]

None of the manuals I've seen, which I've been asked to update for my
company, are indexed. 

I might be asked to index them, and may, therefore, have to learn. 

Bring it on!

-- Craig

-Original Message-
From: Lisa M. Bronson (TCP) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2006 9:00 AM
To: tcp@techcommpros.com
Subject: [TCP] Indexing

How many of you do indexing as a part of your job?

Where I work, we unfortunately do not index our manuals. My predecessor
told me that we have such a detailed Table of Contents that we don't
need
one. Now, I disagree with that idea, but am faced with the reality that
in
the 8 years I've worked here, there has only been one time that I
haven't
been swamped with just keeping up with day-to-day work.

What about the rest of you? Do you index your manuals?

Have a great week!
Lisa B.


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