Odd things happening...

[GCC Consulting]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: filepro-list-bounces at lists.celestial.com 
> [mailto:filepro-list-bounces at lists.celestial.com] On Behalf 
> Of Nancy Palmquist
> Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2005 4:13 PM
> To: tim.fischer at trinitytransport.com
> Cc: filepro-list at lists.celestial.com
> Subject: Re: Odd things happening...
> 
> Tim Fischer wrote:
> 
> > Well - thanks to all for the clarification on automatic 
> processing.  
> > 
> > I've seen other issues with the documentation - where 
> should I report 
> > those in the future?
> 
> Programmers should be banned from writing documentation. I 
> think the nature of a programmer's mind adjusts their use of 
> language and they expect a normal person to understand 
> terminology and concepts that are simple to them but 
> incomprehensible to others.  They use terms that are very 
> clear to them but have multiple or vague meanings to 
> non-technical persons.

This is why when I write documentation I give it to my wife to proof read.

1. She refuses to read manuals - she asks me first
2. She uses computers grudgingly.
3. She has "excellent writing and verbal skills"


> 
> My sister (A newbie with a computer) told me her computer was 
> getting a error.  She was very upset that it indicated she 
> did something "illegal" 
> which she would never do.  A word that should never be used 
> in the context of a computer.  Who makes the laws for 
> computer anyway and who says what she did (which was try to 
> use the computer) was illegal. 
> Another insult to a user from the Microsoft camp. A poor 
> choice of words to indicate an error.
> 
Many things in "computer speak".

I have come to try explain computer problems in terms that my clients can
understand.

When I told a client that he needed to replace a relatively new black ink
cartridge as it appears to be faulty.  He asked my why.  I asked him to think of
his showerhead and how those little holes can get clogged.  After that he could
visualize the what may be causing the problem.

The only one I really have problems with is my mother-in-law.  She wants to know
how the information got there and who put it there.  Whether on the internet or
on a local computer.  She finds the whole thing difficult to grasp.  I have
asked her if she inquires as to where and how her car was designed and built.

Richard Kreiss
GCC Consulting