You totally missed my point. I said I'd take the stats provided by WritersUA surveys with a grain of salt because many of the people there are those who do software user assistance and were part of WinWriters back when we were writing Windows software docs. IIRC part of the reason the name was changed from WinWriters to WritersUA was that UA folks were not just writing Windows software help files any more... we were doing Web-based help for x-platform apps, Web sites, usability, and more.
And I don't know about you or anyone else here, but I don't JUST write online help. I create printed documentation, quick start guides, write UI text, run usability tests, work with focus groups, help QA test. If you want to be known by a single description, that's your option. But I think user assistance works for me. (It's one reason I've never called myself a technical writer... I do not write technical documentation, I write user documentation. Big difference.) I think this discussion has gone on far enough. I was merely pointing out that if you are going to use statistics from a group of people who started as software online help authors, then you may want to take the results with a grain of salt. Similarly, if you want to find out how many people author online help, you probably aren't going to pay significant attention to stats from a Framemaker site ( tool that was created for and is used primarily for print docs). ...sue On 7/17/07, Dan Goldstein <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi Sue, > > So if user assistance professionals are all online help authors, let's > call ourselves "online help authors." > > Part of an online help author's job is to use clear, accurate > terminology. We could start with the job title. > > Thanks, > > Dan > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Sue Heim > > Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 10:44 AM > > To: Dan Goldstein > > Cc: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: [TCP] most popular > > > > As I said, Writers UA stemmed from Windows writers. As in > > help authors. As in Windows software applications. And it > > quite clearly says what the definition means IN THIS CONTEXT. > > There are plenty of other places where the emphasis is on > > "technical" writing (including hardware guides). > > > > ...sue > > > > This message contains confidential information intended only for the use > of the addressee(s). If you are not the addressee, or the person responsible > for delivering it to the addressee, you are hereby notified that reading, > disseminating, distributing, copying, electronic storing or the taking of > any action in reliance on the contents of this message is strictly > prohibited. If you have received this message by mistake, please notify us, > by replying to the sender, and delete the original message immediately > thereafter. Thank you. > > > ______________________________________________ > > Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. > New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help > technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. > > > Interactive 3D Documentation > Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com > _______________________________________________ > > Technical Communication Professionals > > Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: > http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com > Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com > ______________________________________________ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com _______________________________________________ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
