Something I wrote in email to a friend this [Friday] afternoon while "just changing a few headings"...I hope you enjoy it, cos I sure as **** didn't! Firstly, here's a bit of context: * am supposed to writing a user manual for new software, but it's been presented to me as a little "bit of editing" * deadline was "end of this week" * because the egomaniacal programmer foolishly tried to write it himself (he can't let anyone come near his "baby"), it's unreadable in most places and factually wrong in some. If I'd been given the software and told "Go play with it. Document when wearing your Tech Writer hat; report bugs when wearing your QA/programmer hat," I'd have had it done by now. As it stands, it'll be a slap-dash thing and "finished" mid next week. * Thorne is a friend who has drunk too much coffee, seen the insides of too many Sun machines, written more code than is healthy for a brain of its tender age, etc., and is consequently prone to going ito "halt-and-gibber" mode.
"I am Geek: hear me rant!" Think I'm about to go postal here. Finally got my hands on a doc (after lunch, and I've been hassling for it since the start of the week) which I'm supposed ot beat into shape by the end of the day according to [name of PHB deleted]. Page 18 of 45 says: END REVERTS TO DOS NOW In other words, it's been padded to look done, and the best-fit / closest manual they could find for this brand-new software was the previous version...which hasn't been updated for five or six years. ARRRGH!
I just explained things to [aforementioned manager]. I think he'd spotted me moaning in pain and Clutching-My-Head-Thorne-Style(TM). His response was "It's your call", which is his way of washing his hands of everything and walking away.
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Dont' get me started on bad tech-writing...
Date: 2003-10-17 09:20 am (UTC)Firstly, here's a bit of context:
* am supposed to writing a user manual for new software, but it's been presented to me as a little "bit of editing"
* deadline was "end of this week"
* because the egomaniacal programmer foolishly tried to write it himself (he can't let anyone come near his "baby"), it's unreadable in most places and factually wrong in some. If I'd been given the software and told "Go play with it. Document when wearing your Tech Writer hat; report bugs when wearing your QA/programmer hat," I'd have had it done by now. As it stands, it'll be a slap-dash thing and "finished" mid next week.
* Thorne is a friend who has drunk too much coffee, seen the insides of too many Sun machines, written more code than is healthy for a brain of its tender age, etc., and is consequently prone to going ito "halt-and-gibber" mode.
"I am Geek: hear me rant!"
Think I'm about to go postal here. Finally got my hands on a doc (after lunch, and I've been hassling for it since the start of the week) which I'm supposed ot beat into shape by the end of the day according to [name of PHB deleted]. Page 18 of 45 says:
END
REVERTS TO DOS NOW
In other words, it's been padded to look done, and the best-fit / closest manual they could find for this brand-new software was the previous version...which hasn't been updated for five or six years. ARRRGH!
I just explained things to [aforementioned manager]. I think he'd spotted me moaning in pain and Clutching-My-Head-Thorne-Style(TM). His response was "It's your call", which is his way of washing his hands of everything and walking away.