Comments on: 12 Ways to Write Terrible Documentation http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/ Writing Career Center Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:51:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ewan Kennedy http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/comment-page-1/#comment-219682 Ewan Kennedy Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:37:55 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/#comment-219682 John, I just thought I would acknowledge that this article inspired one that I have just completed and named "How to Do Terrible SEO". It can be found at: http://www.ehow.com/how_4515101_do-terrible-seo.html I had as much fun writing it as I did reading yours. Thanks again. John,

I just thought I would acknowledge that this article inspired one that I have just completed and named “How to Do Terrible SEO”. It can be found at:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4515101_do-terrible-seo.html

I had as much fun writing it as I did reading yours. Thanks again.

]]> By: Bogdan Radu http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/comment-page-1/#comment-219488 Bogdan Radu Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:00:06 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/#comment-219488 I’m showing this to my parents. Very funny! Bogdan Radus last blog post..<a href="http://www.funnystuffplace.com/wedding-prank-fun/" rel="nofollow">wedding prank fun</a> I’m showing this to my parents. Very funny!

Bogdan Radus last blog post..wedding prank fun

]]> By: Free Fitness Tips http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/comment-page-1/#comment-218093 Free Fitness Tips Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:23:59 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/#comment-218093 Learning is a lifetime process. It never ends. For a writer, or any professional for that purpose, I'd say that outlining and sketching a general map of what their plans are is quite necessary. Not only in short term, it helps in the long run as well. Learning is a lifetime process. It never ends.

For a writer, or any professional for that purpose, I’d say that outlining and sketching a general map of what their plans are is quite necessary. Not only in short term, it helps in the long run as well.

]]> By: services à domicile http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/comment-page-1/#comment-214742 services à domicile Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:38:45 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/#comment-214742 This is great. I do have to write a lot for my website and I love your advices. Revisions are for suckers... yeah.... services à domiciles last blog post..<a href="http://blog.aladom.fr/2008/07/12/conseils-pour-ceux-qui-proposent-leurs-services-a-domicile/" rel="nofollow">Conseils pour ceux qui proposent leurs services à domicile</a> This is great. I do have to write a lot for my website and I love your advices.
Revisions are for suckers… yeah….

services à domiciles last blog post..Conseils pour ceux qui proposent leurs services à domicile

]]> By: Jason P. http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/comment-page-1/#comment-210516 Jason P. Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:47:48 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/#comment-210516 Funny and helpful too. I need the help more than the comedy, though it works today, as at least 1 of 3 blogs get updated. (Not the one I left either.) Anywho, Shanghai thought yours was funny. I do too. Funny and helpful too. I need the help more than the comedy, though it works today, as at least 1 of 3 blogs get updated. (Not the one I left either.)

Anywho, Shanghai thought yours was funny. I do too.

]]> By: nkog http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/comment-page-1/#comment-208099 nkog Sun, 10 Aug 2008 06:35:47 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/#comment-208099 Yea it really does depend on the company but I would say most really dont care! http://hiphopthugz.com Yea it really does depend on the company but I would say most really dont care!

http://hiphopthugz.com

]]> By: John Hewitt http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/comment-page-1/#comment-207724 John Hewitt Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:36:21 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/#comment-207724 @ Dave, It depends on the company, but there are plenty of them that think that way. I will say that Intuit had some nice tools that allowed them to track the success or failure of their documentation based on the decrease in tech support calls after a problem was addressed in the online help. I always respected that about them. @ Dave,

It depends on the company, but there are plenty of them that think that way. I will say that Intuit had some nice tools that allowed them to track the success or failure of their documentation based on the decrease in tech support calls after a problem was addressed in the online help. I always respected that about them.

]]> By: Dave http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/comment-page-1/#comment-207709 Dave Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:38:04 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/#comment-207709 The reality is that software vendors would love to put out no documentation at all. Documentation is a market barrier intended by large vendors to keep small software companies from doing business. I know of no software companies that understand that documentation, training, and technical support are what sells future releases. If they understood this, they could pay for documentation out of the savings inherent in selling to their install base. Ultimately, we document and teach, because the developer did not learn from the potential customers or clients, and relied on requirements and a requirements elicitation process that gurantees the delivery of average functionality. That average functionality results from political tradeoffs, so the software fits no one in particular. Somehow we are supposed to make up for that. If the requirements were specific to the individual, no manual would be needed. Developers abstract away from requirements, and we have to explicate back to the requirements. So many of the tasks a user must perform has nothing to do with the work they are trying to finish or the artifact that they are trying to create. The reality is that software vendors would love to put out no documentation at all. Documentation is a market barrier intended by large vendors to keep small software companies from doing business.

I know of no software companies that understand that documentation, training, and technical support are what sells future releases. If they understood this, they could pay for documentation out of the savings inherent in selling to their install base.

Ultimately, we document and teach, because the developer did not learn from the potential customers or clients, and relied on requirements and a requirements elicitation process that gurantees the delivery of average functionality. That average functionality results from political tradeoffs, so the software fits no one in particular. Somehow we are supposed to make up for that. If the requirements were specific to the individual, no manual would be needed.

Developers abstract away from requirements, and we have to explicate back to the requirements. So many of the tasks a user must perform has nothing to do with the work they are trying to finish or the artifact that they are trying to create.

]]> By: dave directory http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/comment-page-1/#comment-207068 dave directory Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:43:37 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/#comment-207068 Good Article,It's very useful for me! Good Article,It’s very useful for me!

]]> By: Katie http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/comment-page-1/#comment-206893 Katie Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:08:26 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/12-ways-to-write-terrible-documentation/#comment-206893 thanks for the tips. but "Revisions are for suckers" i dont no about that. keep up the good work thanks for the tips. but “Revisions are for suckers” i dont no about that.

keep up the good work

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