I'm going to try this again. My primary desktop has a sick or dying video card. Without warning the two screens go black but the computer is still running. I have another card ordered but it is annoying enough that I just disconnect power and walk away. I own a few hammers but it's obviously an electrical problem
In memory of Bob Jr.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Stewart, I do think of Bob Jr. from time to time but your post stirred up memories of last September's brief affair with Jack & Jill:
Bob, you were a technical writer? I didn't know that. I've considered jumping into that side of things since I'm not all that far from it working in IP. I'd love to hear about the work you did.
-Brent
Brent, I kinda fell into my career in technical writing. After my little train dive IBM's doctor wouldn't approve my return to being a Customer Engineer (repairman in a suit). They offered me a job in sales but it meant the same daily 4-hour commute. Second offer was "technical writer" in the East Fishkill Component manufacturing plant. I had no idea what they did but it would allow me to go to college at night so I accepted the offer.
My first assignment was writing shop manuals for semiconductor manufacturing machines but when they needed someone to document the software systems controlling the line, I jumped in with both feet. Worked with some fancy text processing systems that led to re-writing the IBM Corporate Security Manual. Word got out that I was willing to do side work at Corporate Headquarters so I had some neat top secret assignments.
To stave off boredom I developed a contractor guide detailing the manufacturing plant electrical, plumbing and safety systems requirements (you need to be clear how you want arsine gas lines installed and tested). Then it was time to create a format for Material Procurement Specifications and Testing (99.99999% pure copper pins are more expensive than their solid gold equivalent and liquid hydrogen, nitrogen and a few thousand other items have to be higher quality than the run-of-the-mill stuff).
My management team decided I was too valuable to lose but too big a pain to promote so my career came to a screeching halt in the mid 70s. The plant in Boca Raton, FL needed technical writers in 1975 when IBM East Fishkill needed to downsize. Because my management team was AWOL, I arranged an interview and was moving South six weeks later. My greatest joy was heaving of the chaos my departure created. They had to re-assign three people to take care of the "off the books" work I was doing with Corporate headquarters and another person to take over my "official" assignments.
Because I had been working on both hardware and software projects up north, I did the same thing in Boca. Much as I enjoyed writing, the IBM culture makes you do silly things, like aspiring to become a manager. Eighteen months of fun projects for the Series/1 minicomputer product line ended with my first management assignment. I still did some writing to help out the department members who were overwhelmed but it caused a backlash, resulting in a promotion to a middle management position two years later. I did my best to avoid the Personal Computer division but they made me an offer I couldn't refuse in 1985. I was the middle manager when the much more talented people in one of my departments developed the online help system for OS/2 (and Windows 3.1, 95, 98 and a few more).
After
Twelve Years A Manager, I was able to escape to Sydney, Australia and a return to writing at the Pennant Hills Programming Centre. When they saw how much fun I was having, they dragged me back to the US and put me back in a management-lite job. A few years later they made me an offer I couldn't refuse -- early retirement with a buyout. I was punished with another year working as a contractor with an almost annoying amount of international travel.
I failed at retirement when an ex-IBMer working for America Online called and asked if I would take a 6-week assignment. I thought I finished on schedule but somehow those six weeks turned into four years. I left when everyone in the organization that hired me was laid off or re-assigned but more importantly when I was no longer having fun.
Technical Writers are not held in the same regard as Programmers or Engineers but at IBM we shared the same salary plan. I enjoyed my career in Technical Writing but I try to enjoy everything I do.
I was hoping he would be immune because he had kept his photograph size to a minimum.
... ummm... ? 
