Shapiro cuts college requirements for most all state PA jobs..Bravo!! (Philadelphia: for sale, real estate)

[toobusytoday]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Communications skills ain't beanbag. Consider user manuals, many of which were written by people with a firm grasp of the technology but a weak grasp of the English language.

But as I said above, I too applaud the move.

I am a fan of STEAM and think communication is the most important skill anyone can have. My husband is an engineer but part of the reason he has been successful is that he is a very good writer. He could easily have had a career as a technical writer.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

I am a fan of STEAM and think communication is the most important skill anyone can have. My husband is an engineer but part of the reason he has been successful is that he is a very good writer. He could easily have had a career as a technical writer.

I write code for a living, and I'm famous for dropping words like Antediluvian, Delphic, and Gordian Knot into internal docs. I've had people tell me they had to look up words I've used, and I think they're better for it! Also it lets me know they've paying attention.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

I write code for a living, and I'm famous for dropping words like Antediluvian, Delphic, and Gordian Knot into internal docs. I've had people tell me they had to look up words I've used, and I think they're better for it! Also it lets me know they've paying attention.

Send me one of your memos. I want to read it.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Send me one of your memos. I want to read it.

Vocabulary recognize vocabulary!

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

Vocabulary recognize vocabulary!

Read and responded. Thanks! It's a classic, as is your vocabulary.

[RetireinPA]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

I write code for a living, and I'm famous for dropping words like Antediluvian, Delphic, and Gordian Knot into internal docs. I've had people tell me they had to look up words I've used, and I think they're better for it! Also it lets me know they've paying attention.

never done that but I do write novels for code commentary. I buried deep into the timer pop routine for re-dispatch when running 2nd level or in a multiple LPAR machine - the most 'error prone' code at IBM - a note that if my comments are encountered and read to the end, I will buy lunch. never bought lunch.

[selhars]

Originally Posted by charmed hour

.....
The offer was 50% lower than my present salary before I pay into pension and health benefits, neither of which I do now. Never mind all the other fringe benefits the State of PA does not offer that I currently have.

Just curious. Why did you apply?...given that the money and benefits were apparently no where near as good....and not even the pension was worth giving up what you had.

Did you think you'd start at least at mid-range?
Salary ranges and benefits for state jobs are posted, and no secret.

Originally Posted by jtab4994

I write code for a living, and I'm famous for dropping words like Antediluvian, Delphic, and Gordian Knot into internal docs. I've had people tell me they had to look up words I've used, and I think they're better for it! Also it lets me know they've paying attention.

Is the goal of your writing to communicate a point and have the reader understand what you're trying to convey.... or have them look up words?

I highly doubt that using -- Antediluvian, Delphic, and Gordian Knot -- is the easiest way to convey those meanings so the reader understands your point.

Now, I like using big or uncommon words myself. And my friends of 40-plus years call me out on it. As a kid interested in writing and communication, I was always reading those 30- and 60 Days to a Better Vocabulary books -- and Word Power Made Easy, Word Smart, even Words You Should Use to Sound Smart. And, also the great punctuation book "Eats, Shoots and Leaves."

But that said, I have to wonder why a writer who wants to eliminate as much misunderstanding as possible -- and communicate in a clear, understandable fashion -- would intentionally use big, fancy, uncommon words s/he knows will impede the very communication s/he says is the desired end result.

Especially in manuals where you know the reader has to understand what you're explaining or teaching or describing, etc.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by selhars

Just curious. Why did you apply?...given that the money and benefits were apparently no where near as good....and not even the pension was worth giving up what you had.

Did you think you'd start at least at mid-range?
Salary ranges and benefits for state jobs are posted, and no secret.



Is the goal of your writing to communicate a point and have the reader understand what you're trying to convey.... or have them look up words?

I highly doubt that using -- Antediluvian, Delphic, and Gordian Knot -- is the easiest way to convey those meanings so the reader understands your point.

Now, I like using big or uncommon words myself. And my friends of 40-plus years call me out on it. As a kid interested in writing and communication, I was always reading those 30- and 60 Days to a Better Vocabulary books -- and Word Power Made Easy, Word Smart, even Words You Should Use to Sound Smart. And, also the great punctuation book "Eats, Shoots and Leaves."

But that said, I have to wonder why a writer who wants to eliminate as much misunderstanding as possible -- and communicate in a clear, understandable fashion -- would intentionally use big, fancy, uncommon words s/he knows will impede the very communication s/he says is the desired end result.

Especially in manuals where you know he reader has to understand what your explaining or teaching or describing, etc.

My guess:

He used these words in material he was writing for his fellow coders — internal rather than external communications. Something like this, I suspect, would appeal to their inner geek. I know it did mine.

I suspect that were he writing for the end user, he'd dispense with them.

[selhars]

^ If you say so.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by selhars

Is the goal of your writing to communicate a point and have the reader understand what you're trying to convey.... or have them look up words?

I highly doubt that using -- Antediluvian, Delphic, and Gordian Knot -- is the easiest way to convey those meanings so the reader understands your point.

Now, I like using big or uncommon words myself. And my friends of 40-plus years call me out on it. As a kid interested in writing and communication, I was always reading those 30- and 60 Days to a Better Vocabulary books -- and Word Power Made Easy, Word Smart, even Words You Should Use to Sound Smart. And, also the great punctuation book "Eats, Shoots and Leaves."

But that said, I have to wonder why a writer who wants to eliminate as much misunderstanding as possible -- and communicate in a clear, understandable fashion -- would intentionally use big, fancy, uncommon words s/he knows will impede the very communication s/he says is the desired end result.

Especially in manuals where you know the reader has to understand what you're explaining or teaching or describing, etc.

My goal is to provide background and to describe the need for a software change, and where necessary give context as to the severity of the problem and the need for remediation. Throwing in a $10 word is a bonus I give my audience. Where my colleagues might write a synopsis like "Fixed date validation routine", I try to put myself in the shoes of a customer service rep, trainer, and other coders who may want to know why the date validation routine suddenly needed to be fixed. And if looking up a word is too daunting for an individual then they shouldn't be training or acting as customer liaison for my software.

I'm aware of vocabulary-enriching exercises but I prefer to read, say, a Wm. F. Buckley novel with a dictionary at my side. BTW the title of "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves" was preceded by an Australian joke about a wombat and a hooker. There's more to life than books.

Just to circle back to the OP, I've done all this without a college degree and I think there are millions of others capable of working for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and doing a good job without a degree.

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

My guess:

He used these words in material he was writing for his fellow coders — internal rather than external communications. Something like this, I suspect, would appeal to their inner geek. I know it did mine.

I suspect that were he writing for the end user, he'd dispense with them.

Precisely. When I have to display an error or warning message to the user, the fun stuff goes out the window. And believe me, some error messages I've seen can be quite delphic*. I just watched Office Space on IFC over the weekend, and the opaque "PC Load Letter" printer error has an entire backstory in real life.

*C-D's editor wants me to capitalize delphic, but M-W.com says "often not capitalized".