Advanced

Why technical writers aren't using FOSS

Posted by dcparris on · Post a comment
NewsForge; By Bruce Byfield
Mail this story
Print this story

I once thought that technical writers would be one of the next groups to adopt free and open source software (FOSS). I reasoned that they were advanced computer users, and might absorb an interest through their daily interactions with developers. However, after discussing FOSS on the Techwr-l mailing list a few months ago, I realized I was wrong. A handful are using FOSS professionally, and a few were inspired by the discussion to try it. Yet most showed only mild interest. Some echoed myths that everyone in the FOSS community has heard before about lack of support or quality. The majority, though, showed a mixture of pragmatism, a clinging to the familiar, and a double-standard that, taken together shows just how large a gap still separates the FOSS community from many of those it might immediately benefit.

Full Story

  Nav
» Read more about: Story Type: News Story; Groups: Community

» Get new stories by e-mail: nightly or as they are published

« Return to the newswire homepage

  Related stories
» More like this

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first.

Post a comment

A free account is needed to post. Write your comment here first: your text is kept in this browser while you sign up or log in, and is waiting for you when you come back.

Your message:
|||||
10
Markdown: **bold**, *italic*, [text](https://link), - lists, > quotes, $x^2$ for math. Formatting help

Sign up and post (it is free)  or  Log in and post