Poor Documentation In CADCAM Products Part 2
jon_banquer
"Tech Writers Get No Overtime from UGS
Good thing I don't write for them: "UGS technical writers put in long
hours and helped UGS bring in over a billion in revenues last year,
but they were not compensated for those long hours."
A California law firm is suing UGS for failing to pay them overtime.
UGS apparently classified them with software programmers, who are
exempt from getting overtime pay.
(I feel for them. My kids work up to 50 hours a week in their summer
jobs at a plant nursery, but here in Canada farm workers are exempt
from receiving overtime payment -- representing a loss of some $2000
that otherwise would have helped towards their college costs.)
We may finally have an explanation for poor software documentation:
grumpy writers. "According to [law firm Schubert & Reed], in addition
to UGS's employees, there are many thousands of additional technical
writers working for other California employers who are improperly
classifying these employees as exempt."
The law firm is targeting UGS first, with others to follow. I am
guessing that UGS was targetted because they now have the biggest
sugar daddy, Siemens. Indeed, the law firm's press release
specifically notes that UGS was recently acquired by the German
industrial giant, a company that is used to paying millions for -- and
getting fined millions because of -- unethical behavior."
Jon Banqeur
San Diego, CA
http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/2007/07/spend-a-littleo.html#comment-76366100
brew...@aol.com
<jon_b...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>Good thing I don't write for them:
Good thing for the users as well since technical writers should
actually know something about the subject.
Tom
vinny
<brew...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:7b97b35fl35ns3don...@4ax.com...
Imagine writing a book on how to use a piece of software as its being
made?
Sounds like a real tough thing to do? I'm sure there's a "process" just
like everything else?
J Carroll
It's not easy and doing it requires tremendous resources. Believe me.
Just building good in line help is a real task, especially for a fully
configured CAD/CAM product. Been there, done that.
Then you have to consider that actual product lock down might not happen
until one or two months before release and sometimes not even then. It's
becoming common practice to roll into new releases.
--
John R. Carroll
jon_banquer
"The lawsuit, filed by Schubert & Reed LLP, of San Francisco, CA,
charges that UGS unlawfully classifies its technical writers as exempt
from California labor law compensation requirements. Schubert & Reed
partner Robert Schubert stated that, because of UGS's alleged practice
of misclassifying its workers as exempt from the wage and hour laws,
"UGS technical writers put in long hours and helped UGS bring in over
a billion in revenues last year, but they were not compensated for
those long hours."
Schubert explained, "Workers are entitled to overtime pay unless they
fall under a specific legal exemption, such as computer programmers
who develop software. The plaintiff and class members in this lawsuit
are technical writers, who are specifically excluded from California's
computer programmers exemption. Not only do they not qualify for the
computer programmer exemption, but they do not qualify for any other
exemption under California's wage and hour laws. Last year, UGS had
revenues of more than $1 billion. UGS's technical writers deserve to
be paid for their efforts to make UGS successful."
The lawsuit seeks back wages for unpaid overtime, plus punitive
damages and interest. In addition, the suit seeks compensation in the
amount of one hour's pay for each day that the workers were not
provided a meal break and an additional hour's pay for each day that
the workers were not provided a rest break, as well as interest and
penalties owed.
MORE TECHNICAL WRITERS CLASS ACTIONS EXPECTED
According to Schubert, in addition to UGS's employees, there are many
thousands of additional technical writers working for other California
employers who are improperly classifying these employees as exempt.
This landmark litigation against UGS marks only the tip of the
iceberg."
Jon Banquer
San Diego, CA
http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/2007/07/spend-a-littleo.html#c...
fred
own...... Most UGS employees I know are paid pretty well and don't bitch
a lot. Interresting they included Siemens in the suite, sounds more like
they're looking for deep pockets...
Cliff
>Jon Banqeur
>San Diego, CA
>http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/2007/07/spend-a-littleo.html#comment-76366100
[
I highly recommend that SolidWorks users get the SolidProfessor videos that I
just spent $600 for. They are worth every penny! For those on a budget they can
try the $25 myigetit SolidWorks course. I intend to try it myself as soon as I
finish the SolidProfessor videos on SolidWorks.
]
Still no punchline <VBG>.
[
The real problem right now is that the major CAM systems need video ..
]
Costs you a quarter per game IIRC.
[
If you would like to read my interview ...
]
[
Franco Folini
UPDATE -- July 8, 2007 -- I had to close this blog post to further comments and
to remove the personal attacks between Jon and some other newsgroups readers.
Before the interview, I made an agreement with Jon about the style of the
interview and the way to handle it. Jon didn’t respect our agreement, posting
comments under fake names. Jon’s authentic and fake comments are all posted from
the same IP address, 72.199.251.224. I can now see that my trust in Jon was
misplaced.
]
BTW, A little bird told me some of the comments about clueless "jb" at
emastercam.com (search for text string "jb" or "clueless" as he is also called
there, among other [often very nasty] things) are funny.
But now he cannot respond to them I gather <VBG>.
--
Cliff
Cliff
>"Tech Writers Get No Overtime from UGS
Sort of like the repub federal standards for those
involved with computers?
>Good thing I don't write for them
You'd have to know something, such as techinal terms or
what CAD/CAM is or at least have an honest GED.
Good for all the rest of us, right?
LOL ....
--
Cliff
Cliff
>We may finally have an explanation for poor software documentation:
CLUE: You've never even seen UG's documentation.
Just more banquerbabble.
--
Cliff
Cliff
>The law firm is targeting UGS first, with others to follow.
Much $$ for the lawyers. So what? Drives up prices.
--
Cliff
Cliff
>The law firm is targeting UGS first, with others to follow. I am
>guessing that UGS was targetted because they now have the biggest
>sugar daddy, Siemens.
[
Does a new name finally mean that UGS PLM Software will learn how to market to
smaller machining shops where SolidWorks, MasterCAM, and FeatureCAM dominate?
Doubtful since most smaller machining job shops have no interest in PLM.
Jon Banquer
]
He has no idea what "PLM" is, much less if it
fits in breadboxes.
From the little birdies:
[
Jon Banquer`s soul on his way to Heaven see information sign :
Heaven -gate A
Hell - gate B
Nirvanna with Full Graphical Edit Support -gate C .
He choose gate C -naturally
.
Once he entered huge golden Gate C couple of demons start to punch his nose ,put
him into the boiling water and nailed him with huge rusty nails .
JB cried -this supposed to be Nirvana !!!!
- You can ................................ ,answered demon"
]
"When Jon got to Heavan they gave him an Etch-a-Sketch. His
lifelong quest for Full Graphical Control was finally realized"
"JB cried -this supposed to be Nirvana !!!!
- You can EDIT RESULTS ,answered demon ,that`s why we have Full graphical
support !"
"I Know Jon will appreciate this great leap forward in technology"
--
Cliff
Cliff
>
><brew...@aol.com> wrote in message
>news:7b97b35fl35ns3don...@4ax.com...
>> On Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:41:12 -0700, jon_banquer
>> <jon_b...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Good thing I don't write for them:
>>
>> Good thing for the users as well since technical writers should
>> actually know something about the subject.
>>
>> Tom
>>
>
> Imagine writing a book on how to use a piece of software as its being
>made?
This is the best way by far.
You can even use parts of it as on-line documentation or
help in the code/application.
Or document first a bit & code to the documentation.
> Sounds like a real tough thing to do? I'm sure there's a "process" just
>like everything else?
Sort of integrated & concurrent?
--
Cliff
Cliff
wrote:
>vinny wrote:
>> <brew...@aol.com> wrote in message
>> news:7b97b35fl35ns3don...@4ax.com...
>>> On Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:41:12 -0700, jon_banquer
>>> <jon_b...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Good thing I don't write for them:
>>>
>>> Good thing for the users as well since technical writers should
>>> actually know something about the subject.
>>>
>>> Tom
>>>
>>
>> Imagine writing a book on how to use a piece of software as its
>> being made?
>> Sounds like a real tough thing to do? I'm sure there's a "process"
>> just like everything else?
>
>It's not easy and doing it requires tremendous resources. Believe me.
>Just building good in line help is a real task, especially for a fully
>configured CAD/CAM product. Been there, done that.
And it's hardly possible to overestimate jb's ignorance.
I think he's stil trying to buy points from someone.
--
Cliff
jon_banquer
How about the CAM program you use? Do you think Gibbs will be effected
by this lawsuit or do you think Bill Gibbs has already got this
figured out.... don't bother creating decent documentation and let the
Gibbscam user figure it all out by trial and error.
Gibbscam users who waste massive amounts of time doing this fill the
Gibbscam message board bragging how smart they are for wasting all
this time and figuring out what should have been documented to begin
with.
The same can be said for the E- Mastercam clique.
Wonder how well Topsolid is making out trying to find someone to write
a book documenting Topsolid? Perhaps Missler finally realized the
person writing TopSolid documentation should use English as their
native language.
http://forum.topsolid.com/viewtopic.php?t=25
Jon Banquer
San Diego, CA
http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/2007/07/spend-a-littleo.html#comment-76366100
Proctologically Violated┊
read so good....
Mebbe he needs more pitchers....
Mebbe written comic-book style, you know, with the li'l "thought clouds"...
--
------
Mr. P.V.'d (formerly Droll Troll), Yonkers, NY
Stop Corruption in Congress & Send the Ultimate Message:
Absolutely Vote, but NOT for a Democrat or a Republican.
Ending Corruption in Congress is the *Single Best Way*
to Materially Improve Your Family's Life.
The Solution is so simple--and inexpensive!
entropic3.14decay at optonline2.718 dot net; remove pi and e to reply--ie,
all d'numbuhs
<brew...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:7b97b35fl35ns3don...@4ax.com...
brew...@aol.com
<entropic...@optonline2.718.net> wrote:
>Ahm thinkin that jb's latest jihad on documentation'n'shit is cuz he don't
>read so good....
"I'm the kind of person who doesn't learn very well reading pure
theory. I get bored really quick." - Jon Banquer - July 22, 2007
>Mebbe he needs more pitchers....
>Mebbe written comic-book style, you know, with the li'l "thought clouds"...
"make the video interesting like you did for the razor. Without a
practical real world example like the razor I find myself losing
interest quickly." - Jon Banquer - Aug 3, 2006
Tom
Proctologically Violated┊
This piss-poor documentation stuff is almost the logical conclusion of a
piss-poor educational system, where the majority of the teachers do not have
a fukn clue as to how to teach, and almost as often, of the material itself.
Bleeve me, I know.... I taught, and was often just a few pages ahead of the
students... <g>.
And, I caught many a hot-shot puhfessuh in *elementary* quagmires, when they
didn't have dey notes in front of them. Awful.
The same hot-shot muthafuckas who ""verified"" Cold Fusion.
SMD.
Anyway, the situation seems at once conspiratorial AND Darwinian, designed
to weed out, and treat accordingly, the following:
1. The Very Brite, who no need no stinkin instruction/documentation, cuz,
well, they are very very brite. Kudos to them, and their generally very
brite and very affluent parents.
2.. The perty brite, who see/sense logical/problematic conundrums, but
cain't quite figger it out with the bullshit at hand. Many many lost souls
in this group, who might have had stellar careers.
3. Those that don't and won't have a fukn clue, ever, making the matter
moot.
Like jb.
It is (2) above who are really hurt by this dismal scenario of generalized
shitty education, where only a few of those indivdiuals have the
fortitude/resources to persevere and survive, mebbe even thrive.
After all, *somebody's* gotta collect the garbage, gut the fish, mow yer
fuknLawn..
All's you gots to do is sabotage their schooling (Hey, let's teach'em in
Ebonics!!!!) to justify this contrived stratification.
The difference between DOS/early windows-based programs, when they still
produced manuals/tutorials, compared to today, is nite and day.
The books that came with Quattro Pro, for example, were like a summary
review of 4 semesters of college mathematics.
Glorious.
Quite before when the grand Corporate Fuck You to the consumer became so
chic.
Now, it's Fuck You, and Bend Over, so's I can *really* fuck you.
AND....
Consumers seem to wear their ass-fuckings like a badge of g-d honor.
Oh, oh, I just paid $500,000 for my 1 BR....
Because yer a fuknIdiot.
--
------
Mr. P.V.'d (formerly Droll Troll), Yonkers, NY
Stop Corruption in Congress & Send the Ultimate Message:
Absolutely Vote, but NOT for a Democrat or a Republican.
Ending Corruption in Congress is the *Single Best Way*
to Materially Improve Your Family's Life.
The Solution is so simple--and inexpensive!
entropic3.14decay at optonline2.718 dot net; remove pi and e to reply--ie,
all d'numbuhs
<brew...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:ba99b3h41ckjhjple...@4ax.com...
Cliff
>Gibbscam user figure it all out by trial and error.
While you are indeed very good at errors and some
suspect should be on trial you don't have to worry about this
one as you are not a user of GibbsCAM or any other similar
program (this is rather clear to most of us) and never have
been, beyond perhaps seeing a canned demo from afar.
BTW, Actual users know how to read the docs, get legal
training, use such systems, ask other actual users, they even
know what such systems supposed to do.
--
Cliff
Cliff
>The same can be said for the E- Mastercam clique.
Boy, do THEY have your number (666) !!
Just like everyone else. Except perhaps BB <G>.
--
Cliff
Cliff
Banned again & all posts deleted again? LOL ...
--
Cliff
Cliff
<entropic...@optonline2.718.net> wrote:
>Ahm thinkin that jb's latest jihad on documentation'n'shit is cuz he don't
>read so good....
Very true. And reading would take time away from buzzwords & ads.
It also usually assumes a certain basic skillset *in the basics* which
poor clueless keeps evading.
>Mebbe he needs more pitchers....
One of his bosses tried pretty pictures of triangles for him.
I think he had them laminated (after he was done with his crayons).
>Mebbe written comic-book style, you know, with the li'l "thought clouds"...
Don't confuse him with thought ....
--
Cliff
Cliff
The Zen of the RED button:
[
When my mind is deep in the code and I'm standing at the machine
editing or creating a program I can see the tool in my mind as cuts
the part. I'm like in another world.
] - clueless
[
In better shops people know when not to bother you. When
this happens on a frequent basis it's a good sign that
perhaps one should move on.
] - clueless
"One word sums it up.....HANDWHEEL"
I can just hear him pushing a toolbox down the freeway in a hurry ....
rattle, clank, clank ....
Remember the X-files episode "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose"?
[
Puppet: "There's something I've been wanting to ask you for some time
now. You've seen the things I do in the past as well as in the
future."
Clyde Bruckman: "They're terrible things."
Puppet: "I know they are. So tell me, please, why have I done them."
Clyde Bruckman: "Don't you understand yet son? Don't you get it?"
[Killer shakes his head] "You do the things you do because you're a
homicidal maniac."
Puppet: "That... that does explain a lot, doesn't it. It's all
starting to make sense now."
]
He's priceless indeed <G>.
--
Cliff
Cliff
<entropic...@optonline2.718.net> wrote:
>And, I caught many a hot-shot puhfessuh in *elementary* quagmires, when they
>didn't have dey notes in front of them.
Sometimes, with the very good ones, those "notes" are a well-planned
teaching device.
I once had such a prof.
He HAD to use the notes to make the errors on the board for
the students to catch/locate at the end when 1=2 in the sanity check.
He was good indeed.
Some of the "errors" were tricky too <G>.
Fellow had studied under Alonzo Church at Princeton ..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alonzo_Church
No slouch. Great teacher, IMHO.
--
Cliff
Cliff
<entropic...@optonline2.718.net> wrote:
>And, I caught many a hot-shot puhfessuh in *elementary* quagmires, when they
>didn't have dey notes in front of them.
Sometimes, with the very good ones, those "notes" are a well-planned
teaching device.
I once had such a prof.
He HAD to use the notes to make the errors on the board for
the students to catch/locate at the end when 1=2 in the sanity check.
He was good indeed.
Some of the "errors" were tricky too <G>.
Fellow had studied under Alonzo Church at Princeton ..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alonzo_Church
No slouch. Great teacher, IMHO.
Sad news (to me).
Associate Professor Augustus Frank Bausch died on June 11, 1973.
He was not old !!! And he is missed.
--
Cliff