¨ IEEE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2001 VOLUME 45 • NUMBER 5

TELLING TALES FROM THE BOTTOM UP: COMMUNICATION AT THE SOUTH POLE BY JOHN BIRD AND JAMIE HUTCHINSON nglish explorer Robert Falcon Scott her breast cancer and oversaw chemo- became the first recipient of a writ- therapy treatments until her evacuation ten communication from the South from the Pole in October 1999. This year, Pole on 18 January 1912, the same doctors in Denver used video to diag- Eday he became the second man to reach nose the gall stones of South Pole doctor the celebrated goal of 90 degrees south Ronald Schemenski, who was evacuated latitude. A note had been left for him at the last possible moment before the by his longtime Norwegian rival Roald onset of Antarctic winter. Amundsen who, unknown to Scott, had won the race to the Pole a month earlier. Compare these well-publicized stories to The note was businesslike, polite: Amundsen that of Scott’s companion Titus Oates. offered Scott the use of any articles from During the ill-fated retreat of the Scott the abandoned camp, wished him a safe party from the Pole, Oates realized that his return, and requested that he forward frostbitten feet were overcome with gan- a certain letter to the king of Norway. grene. According to Scott’s journal, Oates went out into a raging blizzard one day, In other words: Loser! saying, “I am just going outside and may INSIDE be some time,” and he never returned. Injury would be added to insult. During 2 From the Editor March, in the course of their return from While communication and its associated 3 President’s Column the Pole, Scott’s party encountered an benefits have come a long way at the South early winter storm that trapped them in Pole, the Amundsen-Scott station remains 5 Award for Technical their tent only 11 miles from a supply a good deal more isolated than your typical Communication depot that would have saved their lives. branch office. For the enlightenment of 6 New Chapter for By that time Amundsen had made it to Newsletter readers, the authors offer the Best Paper Award Tasmania and had cabled the news of his following survey of communication at the triumph to the rest of the world. It was not Pole. Our credentials: Hutchinson is an 10 Masters of Style until the following November (Antarctic engineering publications editor and PCS 12 Flocci…pilification spring) that a search party would find the member (that’s the communication part); bodies of Scott and his companions, along Bird is an atmospheric scientist currently 13 Good Intent, based at Amundsen-Scott (that’s the Poor Outcome with Scott’s papers, in which he wrote, “These rough notes and our dead bodies Pole part). 14 Working Freelance must tell the tale….” 16 Net Notes Wired, But Wirelessly: Today, workers at the equitably named External Communication 18 Tools of the Trade Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station can tell their tales using the far less gruesome Satellites and electronic communication 19 IPCC 2002 media of the information age. During the systems increasingly “wire” the Pole to 20 Professor Grammar winter months when planes cannot land the rest of the world. Teleconferencing at the Pole, satellites provide a vital link to became available this year, complementing 21 Suzdal Program the outside world for “Polies.” Two years IP (Internet protocol) phones and Iridium 24 A Glance at IPCC 01 ago, staff doctor Jerri Nielsen was able to phones (yes, they still exist—the Pentagon consult with U.S. doctors who diagnosed uses them for global communications and (continued on page 7)

ISSN 0143-433X NEWSLETTER

F ROM THE E DITOR

dCom been the impetus for adding an appendix on shorthand notation (as also used in Following president Hayhoe’s sum- e-mail) to the latest revised Concise Oxford mary (p. 3) of the IEEE’s fiscal Dictionary: http://www.askoxford.com/ Awoes are two more upbeat accounts of betterwriting/emoticons/?view=. PCS actions. On p. 5 is the announcement of a new technical communication educa- Said to be under consideration for inclu- tion award in honor of Ron Blicq, and on sion in the fifth edition of Webster’s New p. 6 is (blush, blush) the renaming of the World College Dictionary: mouse potato, n. best paper award after me. variant of couch potato; describes a chronic Our Web site (http://www.ieeepcs.org/) had Web surfer. San Antonio Express-News. RUDY JOENK more than 4000 visitors during June. After Political correctness: content provider = the home page, IPCC 01 and publications writer. John Leo, Universal Press. were the most popular destinations. The Internet philosophy: “I type, there- The next AdCom meeting will be in two fore I spam.” Warped by Mike Cavna. parts on 24 and 27 October at La Fonda in Santa Fe along with IPCC 01. PCS Unisys Corp. “apologized” for “reducing members will be welcome at this meeting, life and everything in it to a series of which is the annual election meeting. The acronyms” as a consequence of introduc- schedule for 2002 has not been determined. ing the UNIVAC I in 1951. Gregg Moss and Elizabeth Narvaes, The Denver Post. If you’re interested in serving on the AdCom, communicate immediately with Mark Twain’s challenge (Newsletter, Kim Campbell, [email protected]. May/June 2001 issue, p. 7) was accepted See the notice in the July/August News- by more than 700 people. Three winners letter, p. 5. will be selected in October. Twain’s previously unpublished story, “A Murder, Last Call for Instant Fame a Mystery, and a Marriage,” is in the Atlantic Monthly, July/August 2001 If you’re going to attend IPCC 01 in issue, pp. 54-64. Santa Fe, New Mexico, 24-26 October, I’d like to offer you temporary appoint- Information for Authors ment as a reporter (or photographer) for the Newsletter. Usually a paragraph or two One thousand words makes a nice page- about each presentation in a session—what and-a-half article, though longer and was said, not what’s in the proceedings—is shorter articles may be appropriate. appropriate. E-mail me at [email protected] Proposals for periodic columns are also if you’re interested. welcome. If you use a wp program, keep your for- Potpourri matting simple; multiple fonts and sizes, The system that lets cell phone users send customized paragraphing and line spacing, and receive text messages seems to have personalized styles, etc. have to be filtered (continued on page 9)

IEEE • IEEE Professional Communication Society Newsletter is published bimonthly by the Professional PROFESSIONAL Communication Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., 3 Park Avenue, COMMUNICATION New York, NY 10016. One dollar per member per year is included in the society fee for each member of SOCIETY the Professional Communication Society. Printed in U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. OFFICERS GEORGE HAYHOE, PRESIDENT • Copyright 2001 IEEE: Permission to copy without fee all or part of material without a copyright notice BETH MOELLER, VICE PRESIDENT is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for commercial advantage and the title ED CLARK, SECRETARY of this publication and its date appear on each copy. To copy material with a copyright notice requires STEVE ROBINSON, TREASURER specific permission; direct inquiries or requests to the copyright holder as indicated in the article. STAFF • Postmaster: Send address changes to IEEE Professional Communication Society Newsletter, IEEE, RUDY JOENK, EDITOR 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08855. • Editorial correspondence: Rudy Joenk, 2227 Canyon Blvd. #462, Boulder, CO 80302-5680, +1 303 541 0060, [email protected]. Articles, letters, reviews, and proposals for columns are welcome.

2 S EPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2001 NEWSLETTER

P RESIDENT’ S C OLUMN

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE: INSTITUTE FINANCES AND THEIR IMPACT ON PCS he IEEE societies and councils tional shortfall. As a result, society and have been concerned about the council reserves were taxed USD 13.7 mil- Institute’s fiscal health for several lion to make up that shortfall. The share years. The reason for this concern assessed to PCS (based on our percentage Tis that Institute-level reserves have signifi- of overall Technical Activities Board cantly declined over the past five years for reserves) was USD 20.8k. a number of reasons. I’m not saying that the money was badly GEORGE HAYHOE 1. Dues income has decreased because stu- spent. As a result of this spending, the dent dues were reduced in 1998, higher Institute now has a world-class IT infra- grade member dues have not increased structure that will increase future revenue since 1996, and the number of subsi- to societies and councils. Because sales of dized (student, recent graduate, life, electronic products such as IEEE Xplore retiree, minimum income, and unem- are forecast to eventually exceed sales of ployed) members has risen. print publications, we need to be able to 2. Several years ago the Institute changed deliver those products over the Web; gain- the way that income from its intellectual ing that capability required significant property was distributed. Because the capital investment. And it’s only fair that overwhelming majority of that intel- each IEEE entity pay its share of those and lectual property (articles in periodicals, other overhead costs that had been paid conference proceedings, and books) out of Institute-level reserves before they is generated by entities within the were exhausted. IEEE such as societies, it was felt that a On the other hand, from the perspective of greater share of the income it produced the Technical Activities Board (TAB, which should go to those entities rather than consists primarily of society and council to Institute-level reserves. As a result, presidents), the IEEE board of directors many societies—including PCS—have didn’t do a very good job of explaining experienced enormous growth in their that the investments planned in the FY reserves. 2000 budget would need to be funded IT infrastructure will 3. The Institute needed to make improve- by taxes on society and council reserves. increase future revenue ments to its information technology In fact, all assets of IEEE entities, includ- (IT) infrastructure to position itself for ing society and council reserves, belong to to societies and councils. the future. Upgrading headquarters the IEEE and are ultimately controlled by hardware and software, addressing the its board of directors. But it would have Y2K problem, and implementing needed made a lot more sense for the board of TM e-business capabilities (IEEE Xplore , directors to get TAB’s support in advance Web-based membership application and by explaining why the investment of our renewals, and so forth) required signi- reserves was necessary, what the charges ficant investment, most of which was against our reserves would likely be, and charged against Institute-level reserves. how those investments would increase 4. Investment income has been signifi- future income. Instead of knowing the cantly below forecast levels during the costs before the fact, the societies and past two years because of downturns in councils didn’t have a forecast of the the stock market, thus making matters depletion of their reserves for FY 2000 worse. until November 2000 and didn’t know the final cost until June 2001. Bad News for Fiscal Year 2000 Worse News for Fiscal Year 2001 Planned deficits in FY 2000 not only con- sumed what was left of the Institute-level The bad news is that the IEEE deficit will reserves but also resulted in a large addi- be worse in 2001 than it was in 2000; the

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good news is that at least we have a pretty the end of 2002 will be reduced by six per- good idea what the cost will be to the cent minus the return on investments for societies and councils. Right now it looks the year. This means that if the market next as though the Institute will run a deficit year returns one percent for the year, PCS of USD 18.5 million this year. As in previ- will lose five percent of its investment ous years, much of this deficit represents reserves (approximately USD 7k). This investment in the IEEE’s future but, once is a far smaller reduction of reserves than again, the societies and councils weren’t in 2000 or 2001. Still, the tax on PCS told up front what the cost would be to reserves over these three years will total their bottom lines before the Institute USD 49k, almost 27 percent of the budget was adopted. reserves we held at the end of 2000 before these taxes were levied. According to the formula that the IEEE devised for allocating the current year’s To encourage fiscal responsibility in the deficit, each society’s reserves at the end future, TAB has requested that the IEEE of December 2001 will be reduced by 14 board of directors require that candidates’ percent minus the return on investments statements for board positions include for the year. This means that if the market their views on fiscal policy, beginning with returns one percent (the rate of return on next year’s election. This will allow mem- IEEE investments at the end of May 2001) bers to determine whether candidates com- for the year, PCS will lose 13 percent of mit to fiscally prudent practices such as its reserves (USD 21.2k). refusing to approve deficit budgets except under extraordinary circumstances. Obviously, this massive hemorrhaging of Over three years PCS reserves cannot continue indefinitely. TAB In addition, TAB has embarked on a pro- has been unhappy about the large deficits gram of simplifying business rules across reserves will be taxed built into IEEE budgets for several years, all societies and councils that should yield USD 49k, almost and the message seems to have finally significant savings. For example, at its June gotten through to the board of directors. meeting, TAB agreed to offer all society 27 percent. The board’s executive committee decided members access on IEEE Xplore to all in March 2001 that the IEEE would adopt back issues of periodicals to which they a net-zero budget for FY 2002. currently subscribe. This change does not affect PCS members, who already had Better News for Fiscal Year 2002 that access, but it eliminates the need for and Beyond expensive programming to accommodate access rules that varied from one society To make the 2002 net-zero budget possi- to another and sometimes from one peri- ble, all entities were requested to increase odical to another. income or reduce expenses to help make up the shortfall. The societies and councils One thing is certain. Everyone in the were asked to amend their preliminary FY IEEE must realize that fiscal responsibility 2002 budgets to increase revenues and is the only prudent course. We must invest decrease expenses by a net of USD 6.9 in our future; we must allocate costs fairly; million. In response, PCS increased its but we must live within our corporate net for 2002 by USD 17.3k. means. I hope that when you evaluate can- didates for regional and division directors, In addition, however, the IEEE must presidents, and vice presidents to serve recover currently unallocated overhead. To on the IEEE board of directors, you will recover each society’s and council’s share consider carefully their views on responsi- of that unallocated overhead, reserves at ble budgeting and spending.

“In order to maintain a well balanced perspective, the person who has a dog to worship him should also have a cat to ignore him.” — Peterborough Examiner

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AWARD FOR TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION EDUCATION CREATED BY MURIEL ZIMMERMAN he Ronald S. Blicq Award for Since 1972 Ron has written eight textbooks Distinction in Technical Commu- on technical and business communication, nication Education has been one published by the IEEE Press and two approved by the IEEE Awards and written especially for Russian and Estonian TRecognition Committee. The Blicq Award engineers and scientists, translated into will recognize innovative educators who their languages. He has scripted and have influenced the ways that technical directed six dramatized educational video communication is taught in pre-college programs. In 1992 the Manitoba (Canada) settings, in undergraduate and graduate Department of Education appointed him university degree programs, and in profes- to help develop the curriculum for the sional life through workshops and seminars. grade 12 course in technical communica- tion now offered in Manitoba high schools In naming and then to teach high school teachers the new award how to implement the new program. for Ron Blicq, the AdCom Ron was a technical editor with the acknowledges Royal Air Force in the U.K. and technical his extraordi- editor/training coordinator with CAE nary impact on Industries in Canada. He joined Red River technical com- College in 1967 to develop its curriculum munication for teaching technical communication in the college’s engineering technology pro- education at grams. In 1990 Ron “retired” to form his all levels. In own company and he has since taught courses offered communication skills to technical profes- through the sionals in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Ronald S. Blicq IEEE and PCS His newest project is a Web-based course as well as uni- on professional communication techniques versity programs and independent work- (http://www.rgilearning.com). shops, Ron has helped uncountable engineers improve their communication Ron Blicq has been the recipient of four skills. Through his textbooks, videos, and IEEE and PCS awards: the IEEE Centen- workshops he has also taught several gen- nial Medal in 1984, the PCS Alfred N. Blicq’s newest project erations of technical communication facul- Goldsmith Award in 1986, the PCS Emily ty to design practical and motivating com- K. Schlesinger award in 1997, and the is a Web-based course munication courses for technical students. IEEE Millennium Medal in 2000. We are proud to honor his extraordinary influence on professional commu- Ron has been a member of the IEEE and on technical communication education nication techniques. PCS since 1958 (then the Institute for through this new award. Radio Engineers and the Professional Group on Engineering Writing and The first Ronald S. Blicq Award for Speech). He has been developing and Distinction in Technical Communication teaching courses for the IEEE and PCS Education will be announced and pre- since 1974. These have included corre- sented at the IPCC 01 awards banquet on 25 October. spondence courses, workshops for IEEE sections and chapters, and a multimedia Muriel Zimmerman is awards chair for independent study course. He served as PCS and a senior lecturer in technical com- PCS education chair 1974-92 and taught munication at the University of California, courses for the Popov Society in Moscow, Santa Barbara. She has long relied on Ron Russia, and the Informatics Fund in Blicq’s textbooks for straightforward expla- Tallinn, Estonia. nations and great examples and projects.

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NEW CHAPTER IN HISTORY OF BEST PAPER AWARD BY MURIEL ZIMMERMAN he renaming of the PCS best paper has since selected the following articles as award is now official. The IEEE best papers: Awards and Recognition Committee 1994: “User Manuals as Project Manage- approved the AdCom proposal for ment Tools: Part 1–Theoretical Back- Tthe Rudolph J. Joenk, Jr. Award for Best ground” and “User Manuals as Project Man- Paper in the IEEE Transactions on agement Tools: Part 2–Practical Applica- Professional Communication. tions” by Rod McIntosh Shand, independent Dr. Joenk served as editor of the IEEE consultant (vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 75-80, June, Transactions on Professional Communication and no. 3, pp. 123-142, September) for eight years, beginning in 1977. In his 1995: “Cultural Adaptation and Information term as editor he revived the publication Design: Two Contrasting Views” by Charles from a dwindling two issues in 1976 to a Kostelnick, Iowa State University (vol. 38, reliable set of quarterly issues in 1984 that no. 4, pp. 182-196, December) are still growing in size and strength. During his last two years as Transactions editor, Rudy 1996: “Does the Manual Help? An Exami- also edited the PCS Newsletter, a task he nation of the Problem-Solving Support assumed again at the end of 1997. Through Offered by Manuals” by Hans van der Meij, his outstanding editorial work, he has estab- University of Twente (vol. 39, no. 3, pp. lished high standards for publications that 146-156, September) are now central information resources in 1997: “What Practitioners Need to Know the field of engineering communication. to Evaluate Research” by Robert Krull, Rudy received the society’s Alfred N. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (vol. 40, Goldsmith Award in 1980 for his work on the no. 3, pp. 168-181, September) [tie with…] Transactions and the Emily K. Schlesinger 1997: “The Evaluation of Text Quality: Award in 1999 for distinguished service to Expert-focused and Reader-focused Methods PCS. (He was PCS vice president 1988-89 Compared” by Leo Lentz, Utrecht Univer- The first Joenk Award and president 1990-91, chaired the editorial sity, and Menno de Jong, University of will be presented advisory committee 1992-99, and served Twente (vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 224-234, on the AdCom 1985-99.) He received September) at IPCC 01. the IEEE Millennium Medal in 2000. The AdCom is exceptionally proud to honor 1998: “Learning to Write in Organizations: his accomplishments once more through What Newcomers Learn about Writing on renaming the best paper award. the Job (Part 1)” and “How Newcomers Learn to Write: Resources for Guiding This award recognizes an outstanding article Newcomers (Part 2)” by Susan M. Katz, published in the preceding year’s IEEE North Carolina State University (vol. 41, Transactions on Professional Communication; no. 2, pp. 107-115, June, and no. 3, pp. 165- the paper is selected by the editorial advisory 174, September) committee. The award was proposed at an 1999: “Guidelines for Communication and AdCom meeting 9 April 1975 by Charles A. Engineering Problem Solving at the Basic Meyer, then chair of the awards committee Level” by Michael A. Bridgwood, Clemson and earlier (1965-66) president of the society. University (vol. 42, no. 3, pp. 156-165, The first best paper award was not given September) until 1981 because of the Transactions slump The award for 2000 will be announced and in the mid-1970s: presented at IPCC 01 on 25 October. 1981: “Tutorials for the First-Time Computer Muriel Zimmerman is awards chair for PCS. User” Janan Al-Awar, Alphonse Chapanis, She teaches technical and professional writing and W. Randolph Ford (vol. 24, no. 1, pp. at the University of California, Santa Barbara, 30-37, March) and she is coauthor (with J. Paradis) of The For reasons unknown, interest in the award MIT Guide to Science and Engineering Com- then waned until the early 1990s. The EAC munication (MIT Press, 2nd edition in press).

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COMMUNICATION AT THE SOUTH POLE (continued from page 1) makes them available free for South Pole and the speed with which you are able to business). E-mail communication with download the site, varies with the time of family and friends is common, and day, and likewise for e-mail. What’s more, Internal communication Amundsen-Scott even maintains its Amundsen-Scott communications staff own Web site at http://www.spole.gov. sometimes must adjust the bandwidth of retains a military flavor, their systems to deal with technical issues. tempered by heavy doses The hitch in all of these communications As of this writing, Marisat 2 had recently is their dependence on line-of-sight access been downgraded to the bandwidth shown of humor and frontier to satellites, four of which currently serve in the chart. the Pole at bandwidths varying from 38 egalitarianism. kilobits to 5 megabits per second. A satel- Nevertheless, the authors (who have never lite must be in view of both the Pole and met in person) found the exchange of a “distant end” ground station for com- e-mail and attachments for writing this munication to take place. This means that article to be very convenient. Coauthor your ability to access http://www.spole.gov, Bird, more importantly, routinely exchanges data and carries on e-mail con- versations with fellow scientists. After replacing a mirror on an aurora imager, Bird verified his handiwork by sending dig- LES 9 ital pictures of the equipment to an expert 38 kbps up and down at the University of Illinois, where the No power during eclipse principal investigator for his research 13:16 18:06 projects is based. 192 kbps downlink GOES 3 256 kbps uplink Because the Pole is at the convergence 22:06 3:51 of every time zone on earth, Polies can go by any and all zones. During summer, New Zealand time makes the most sense Marisat 2 1.024 Mbps uplink because of the continual stream of flights 512 kbps downlink from coastal McMurdo station, which operates on New Zealand time. During 17:32 23:23 winter, U.S. mountain time predominates Separate TDRS transmission for the convenience of bosses at Raytheon on Ku band: 5 Mbps, uplink only 19:46 0:51 Polar Services in Denver. (Station opera- tions are contracted to Raytheon by the National Science Foundation.) Bandwidth (distance between 2 tick marks = 1 Mbps) TDRS 1 1.024 Mbps up and down Since the days of Amundsen, Scott, and Chart by other early adventurers, communicating J. Hutchinson from the South Pole has been not only a 12:00 12:00 Oct. 1 16:00 20:00 0:00 Oct. 2 4:00 8:00 technical challenge, but also a public rela- Universal Time (Greenwich Mean) October 1-2, 2001 tions imperative. Journalists and VIPs visit South Pole communication satellites. Gray areas represent times of avail- during summer, and Polies must know ability and bandwidth for satellites serving the South Pole. Because earth how to convey the value of what they do, while avoiding their precious jargon (more progresses 4 minutes per day in its orbit around the sun, add 4 minutes for about this later). During winter, journalists each day before 1 October 2001, and subtract 4 minutes a day after 2 can interview Polies via electronic media, October. The LES 9, at 38 kilobits per second, provides bandwidth roughly and Polies are generally required only equivalent to that of a household modem. GOES 3 is eclipsed by earth for to “use discretion” in such interactions. up to 72 minutes a day from mid-July to early October; the satellite’s solar However, Raytheon banned media con- panels go dark and power is shut off to conserve batteries. Abbreviations: tacts among its staff during the Schemenski Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), Lincoln evacuation in March, and even Polies who Experimental Satellite (LES), Tracking Data Relay Satellite (TDRS), are not Raytheon employees decided to Maritime Telecommunications Satellite (Marisat). cooperate with that order.

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Beakers and Bear Claws: Announcements that go out via e-mail or Internal Communication over the station public address system con- tain routine news and advisories as well U.S. operations in Antarctica have been as jokes, advertisements for free beer at under direct civilian control (National “Polemart,” and notices when there is an Science Foundation) since 1971, but inter- especially beautiful aurora to be viewed. nal communication at Amundsen-Scott retains a military flavor, tempered by heavy Weekly “all hands” meetings attended by doses of humor and frontier egalitarianism. all Polies address routine safety procedures and other status reports. Everyone signs a sheet to show that they received the safety briefing; then the various departments give their reports: Jed, anything from the galley? “We’d like to ask people to tell us if they need anything, rather than just taking it, because we need all our food for planned meals.” Kirk, anything from cargo? “Let us know if you need anything moved.” Dean, anything from computers? “We’re going to shut down the server for an hour before the power outage.” Dave, anything from comms? “Marisat is coming on line every day at 6:30; we’re working on the problem.” You get the idea. For all its integration into worldwide communication systems, the South Pole remains a distinct subculture—something that is inevitable at the center of the plan- et’s highest, driest, windiest, coldest conti- nent, a place where the year is divided into one long day and one long night. The best window into any culture is its language, and so we close with a sampling of the col- orful lexicon of the Polies. 300 Club: To become a member, you must (1) sit in a sauna at +200°F when the out- side temperature hits –100°F; then (2) while remaining unclad, run outside around the ceremonial South Pole marker. Initiates experience a temperature drop of 300°F. bag and barrel: System for human waste management where plumbing is unavail- able. Blue polyethylene bags of waste are Top Photo: South Pole meteorologist Nathan Tift keeps score for stored outside in steel drums. a game of radio darts by communicating via radio with rival teams at a New Zealand Antarctic station 1500 kilometers away. Except for beaker: Scientist. this extraordinary mode of communication between competitors, bear claws: Outer mitts with fur backing. the game is the same as regular darts. (Photo by John Bird) boondoggle: Coveted, unofficial, possibly Bottom Photo: Satellites and information technology are lifting the approved participation in a trip from burden of isolation for workers at the South Pole. Nevertheless, the station. Canadian scientist John Bird and his wife Jennifer, a cook at the Pole while on leave from her graduate music studies, take special care diamond dust: Ice crystals that fall like in transmitting symbols “from the bottom up.” snow on clear days.

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freshies: Fresh fruits or vegetables flown tourist: n. 1. Summer resident (of which in from New Zealand. there are about 200 each year). 2. Visitor. hero shot: Photograph of oneself at the winter over: 1. v. To spend the winter ceremonial South Pole marker. months at the Pole. 2. n. (hyphenated) A person who spends winter at the Pole MacTown: McMurdo station, an American (of which there are about 50 each year). Communicating from base on the Antarctic coast; popular vaca- Coauthor Bird is a winter-over for 2001. the South Pole has been tion spot for Polies. not only a technical radio darts: Popular game for Polies and Canadian atmospheric scientist John Bird other Antarctic workers, played with ([email protected]) is currently based challenge, but also a pub- radios. at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, where he is measuring global atmospheric lic relations imperative. sleigh ride: Bygone practice in which a circulation, climate change, and atmos- group of MacTown personnel would be pheric gravity waves for the University flown to the Pole for hero shots. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. slushies: Drinks made from a mixture of Jamie Hutchinson ([email protected]) snow and an alcoholic beverage. manages the publications office in the The Ice: Antarctica. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois toast: Mental state induced by a long stay at Urbana-Champaign. He is a member on The Ice. of the PCS editorial advisory committee.

FROM THE EDITOR (continued from page 2) out before being recoded in Newsletter I prefer to receive articles by e-mail; most style. Headers, footers, and tables lead the WordPerfect, Word, RTF (rich text for- casualty list. Embed only enough special- mat), and ASCII files are acceptable. My ized formatting and highlighting (bold- addresses are in the boilerplate at the face, italics, bullets) to show me your bottom of page 2. preferences. Remember the Deadlines Ides of… If you borrow text—more than a fair-use sentence or two—from previously pub- The 15th day of each odd-numbered lished material, you are responsible for month is the deadline for publication in obtaining written permission for its use. the succeeding odd-numbered month. Ditto for graphics. Always give credit to For example, the deadline is 15 November the author or artist. for the January/February 2002 issue, 15 January for the March/April issue, etc. The Newsletter issues on our Web site can You won’t be far off (and never late) if you be used as examples (http://www.ieeepcs. observe the Ides of November, January, org/pub.html). March, and so on.

If you need further proof that the human race is doomed through stupidity, here are some label instructions on consumer goods: • On a Sears hair dryer: “Do not use while sleeping.” • On a bag of Fritos: “You could be a winner! No purchase necessary. Details inside.” • On a bar of Dial soap: “Directions: Use like regular soap.”

V OLUME 45 • NUMBER 5 9 NEWSLETTER

M ASTERS OF S TYLE THE LABYRINTH OF STYLE eveloping a satisfying style of writ- tation. The professional communicator ing has its parallel to venturing surely needs the maze-treader’s traits and into a labyrinth and arriving at the others to succeed. Both traveler and pro- Dcenter. Like Theseus, who entered fessional communicator can then savor the Cretan labyrinth to slay the bull-man their victories. Minotaur (aided by the thread given him by Ariadne), professional communicators Sometimes a person is fortunate enough can overcome the dangers within by to be provided with a guide or mentor on preparing well to encounter and conquer the journey, as Dante was with Virgil and later Beatrice in The Divine Comedy. The RONALD J. NELSON the beast of ignorance that lurks at the center of poor writing. To do so does not best guides convey the feeling not only of mean that one can then rest on his or her giving sound advice (the voice of experi- laurels, but that he or she can feel some ence) but also of being a companion to confidence in crossing the threshold into the maze-treader for part or all of the the next labyrinth. trip. I suggest that we take Penelope Reed Doob’s The Idea of the Labyrinth: From Every labyrinth or maze (in keeping with Classical Antiquity Through the Middle common practice, I use the words inter- Ages (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, changeably) has an entrance, exit, path or 1990; paperback, USD 19.95) along with paths, center or goal, movement through, us on the road to stylistic excellence. It is a pace of movement, obstacles, right and magnificent scholarly work devoted to this wrong decisions, clues, dead ends, frustra- thoroughly engaging topic. From it, pro- tions, and joys. A purist would argue that fessional communicators can learn much a labyrinth is unicursal, having only one about the myriad factors that contribute tortuous way to the center and the same to reaching this lofty goal. As with other way back to the entrance/exit. (Hence, a kinds of writing, the value of such a book case could be made that Theseus really did depends both on what is said and how it is not need the thread.) And a maze is multi- said. In the case of Doob’s work, the writ- cursal, having right and wrong decision ing stretches the mind and heart by its very points, false fronts, and the like. In both scholarly nature. We need that elasticity to cases, the goal is to reach the center and develop our capacities, especially if we have then to exit the structure. If a person become accustomed to mundane, unchal- cannot find the center of the maze or lenging writing. labyrinth, the maze is said to be impene- trable. If the person cannot find the exit, Doob’s book is sensibly organized in that The Aeneid is the it is said to be inextricable. it reflects the order suggested by its title earliest major example and subtitle. (Titles generally should suffi- What is required to be successful in a ciently indicate content.) Her introduc- of truly labyrinthine labyrinth or maze? For the labyrinth, the tion, Charting the Maze, orients the reader literature. answer is time, endurance, and determina- well in terms of providing some relevant tion; for the maze, mastery over frustration history, terminology, statement of purpose, and bewilderment. For both, the traveler and in-depth definition and description must pick up on available clues and inter- of what she means by “the idea of the pret them accurately, a matter of reading labyrinth.” bodily rhythms and pacing the self, or of being logical about inferences, for exam- For Doob, that phrase encompasses the ple. In any case, the successful traveler visual and verbal signs characterizing the reaches the center or goal, which may be maze as well as its ruling principles and either a physical or a nonphysical (mental formal properties. She is interested not or spiritual) location. Or, in the case of only in real (actual, physical) labyrinths, the professional communicator, it may be but also in metaphorical labyrinths involv- a splendid document or a telling presen- ing traits like “enforced circuitousness;

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disorientation; the idea of planned chaos; rinthine by nature: converts, whose very the bivium or critical choice between two name implies a purposeful change in direc- paths; inextricability; intricacy; complexity” tion, turn from false ways to true ones and and “how constellations of these features from a disoriented, blind pursuit of false operate in things, metaphors, and texts goods to an often circuitous quest for that function like labyrinths even though the right goal, in light of which previous they may not be identified as such” (p. 2). paths seem chaotic and futile” (p. 271). Doob’s introduction could be profitably And of Chaucer’s House of Fame she studied for how well it prepares the reader observes that it “is slighter than its three for what ensues in the rest of the book. self-avowed labyrinthine models, but this Part one covers the labyrinth in the Clas- sparkling tour de force may be the most The professional sical and early Christian periods, focusing comprehensive (if not comprehensible) communicator needs on literary witnesses like Virgil, Pliny, and and creative culmination imaginable of the Ovid; the unicursal and multicursal para- medieval labyrinth tradition, and hence a the maze-treader’s digms and the essence of the maze; and fitting conclusion to this book” (p. 307). the metaphorical aspects of the labyrinth, traits to succeed. such as the complex artistry of the prod- One of the major characteristics of laby- uct, the difficult process, and the atten- rinths is “a constant doubling back” dant inextricability or impenetrability of because of their circuitous nature (p. 1). the maze. Like walking in a maze, professional com- municators must enter the looping process Part two deals with the thorny problems of doubling back over concerns before of definition and etymologies, medieval they settle on the right wording: “Is this mazes in art and architecture, moral laby- the best word for the context?”; “Is my rinths in medieval literature, and textual phrasing ambiguous here? Do I need to labyrinths as they contribute to an aesthetic clarify it?”; “Can my reader grasp the con- of the field based on rhetorical aspects of tent the way I want it to be understood?”; those texts. “Do my graphics serve their purpose of Part three, Labyrinths of Words, providing visual reinforcement to the con- masterfully applies the theoretical cepts introduced?”; and “Is what I’m say- foundation established up to ing in line with company policy?” among this point to four central texts: innumerable other matters. To become Virgil’s Aeneid, Boethius’ Con- immersed in that doubling back process solation of Philosophy, Dante’s is evidence of a care for the product and Divine Comedy, and Chaucer’s a commitment to excellence that is highly House of Fame. Any of Doob’s likely to reach its goal. opening comments on those My next column will address additional works could be studied for their aspects of the labyrinth as they apply to diction, sentence structure, logic, professional communication, using other and content, as could virtually amazing sources. In the meantime, the any other part of the text. interested reader may wish to send for Of Virgil’s magnum opus, for example, a fine journal devoted to the subject of she says, “The Aeneid, one of the most mazes and labyrinths: Caerdroia. This influential works of western literature, annual publication can be purchased is the earliest major example of truly from Jeff Saward, Publisher, The Journal labyrinthine literature: it includes explicit of Caerdroia, 53 Thundersley Grove, images of the maze and references to its Thundersley, Essex SS7 3EB, England; myth, employs a labyrinthine narrative the cost is USD 15. structure, and embodies themes associated with the idea of the labyrinth…” (p. 227). Ron Nelson is an associate professor of English, James Madison University, Of Dante’s great work she notes, “The Harrisonburg, VA 22807; +1 540 568 3755, literature of Christian conversion is laby- fax +1 540 568 2983; [email protected].

V OLUME 45 • NUMBER 5 11 NEWSLETTER

F LOCCINAUCINIHILIPILIFICATION NEWTONIAN TELECOM rofessional communication is the art In his biographical sketch on the back of putting forth straightforward stuff cover, Newton confesses to not being a on real matters. Leave the convoluted telecom engineer or, for that matter, an Perudition to the publish-or-perish engineer at all. His undergraduate degree fraternity; in the marketplace of minds, is in economics, from the University of there’s no doubt that simplicity sells. But Sydney, and his master’s degree is in busi- how do you attain it? Easy, according to ness administration, from Harvard. But he Elmore Leonard (1926–), the “Dickens early (“one wet weekend with nothing bet- of Detroit,” who, when asked in 1986 ter to do”) saw the need for more under- why his detective novels were so popular, standable communications on telecommu- remarked: “I leave out the parts that peo- nications. He founded the first networking ple skip.” The phrasing was contemporary, magazine, LAN Magazine, now Network, the philosophy not. More than two cen- as well as three telecom monthlies: Call Isn’t this the way a turies earlier, writer-turned-philosopher Center, Computer Telephony, and Tele- dictionary should be? Voltaire observed that “the way to be a connect. He started the unbelievably suc- bore is to say everything” (“Le secret cessful Computer Telephony Conference d’ennuyer est…de tout dire” in Sur la and Exposition (CT Expo). As he worked Nature de l’Homme, v. 174-5). along, he saw an increasing need for a comprehensive dictionary, as even tele- OK, the secret’s no secret and hasn’t been com professionals couldn’t grapple with for centuries. Can it possibly be applied to the flood of new terms, much less their the complexities of modern high technol- managers or the users—the only ones who ogy? As formerly distinct fields converge, admitted to floundering. In 1984 he com- could it possibly apply to telecommunica- piled the first Newton’s Telecom Dictionary. tions, networking, and, even worse, the Internet, which now encompasses almost The rest is history. The strength of the all electrical and electronics pursuits cov- book is in Newton’s currency of plain talk, ered by the IEEE save electric power gen- devoid of didactic oversimplification. If a eration, distribution, and squandering? definition is adrift in daily use, he calls the spade a spade: The definition of “Bps” Yes, it can, if you have the tenacity to carry starts with: “Bps is confusing. Is it bits per through three essential steps. First, you second or bytes per second?” And humor, enter the field from outside, as any good long an outcast in technical description, is lexicographer should, so as not to accept a frequent guest: “Skunkworks” is as care- anything at face value. Second, you pore fully defined, with its etymology, as are over all glossaries, dictionaries, and learned other, more arcane terms in the book. (that is, arcane) documents published by regulatory agencies and professional orga- Pick a telecom term, any telecom term, the nizations. Third, you beg in-house defini- dullest you can imagine. You’ll probably tions from savvy engineers with nothing find it (and 21 000 others) in Newton’s better to do than answer nit-picky ques- Telecom Dictionary, refreshingly less dull tions of definition, but you prudently than elsewhere. But alongside it, you’ll refrain from listing made-up acronyms, probably find another term with a more silly abbreviations, and proprietary product amusing definition, which will lead you names. Moreover, you devote 23 years to through a convoluted path to yet another the task, as Harry Newton has to date in term, which…. The book is a page-turner compiling Newton’s Telecom Dictionary*, that invites use. Isn’t that the way diction- now in its 17th edition. aries should be?

* Newton’s Telecom Dictionary by Harry Newton, New York, CMP Books, 17th ed., February 2001, 782 pages, soft cover, USD 34.95, ISBN 1-57820-069-5.

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G OOD I NTENT, POOR O UTCOME INDEED! etting the message across: That is I further argue that an effective topic sen- how participants of my training tence states not only the topic but also the programs almost always define message, namely, the one thing that the effective communication. Few, audience must remember about the topic. Ghowever, can readily provide a definition It states not only the what, but also the of the word “message,” though most, so what. after some thought, agree that a message is to information what conclusions are Paragraphs that start with the topic but not to results: It covers the interpretation of the message are frequent in the results sec- JEAN-LUC DOUMONT information more than the information tions of scientific literature and research itself and, as such, is normally both audi- reports. In chronological fashion, the first ence-oriented and purpose-oriented. These sentence refers the reader to a figure by definitions are not without consequences, describing it (the what, as in “Figure 5 among which are the following two. shows the evolution of temperature as a First, and as a kind of “Principle Zero” function of time”); further sentences make of effective communication, a document observations, and the very last one con- or presentation should have messages in cludes (the so what, as in “The temperature the first place. Although such a statement increased roughly linearly with time”). should be obvious, we can probably all Not only is the so what infinitely more remember documents or presentations interesting for the audience, it also usually that left us with the unpleasant question, contains the what, making a separate state- “What’s the point?”; a lot of information, ment of the latter uselessly redundant. but unfortunately no explicit message. In the preceding example, the paragraph Second, and probably far less trivial, effec- could more usefully state the message in An effective topic tive documents or presentations place the the first sentence, with a simple reference message up-front and supporting elements to the figure, as in “The temperature sentence states not afterwards, rather than the other way increased roughly linearly with time only the topic, but also around. As proposed in my last column (Figure 5).” Subsequent sentences would (“Columbo, Not Poirot” in the July/ elaborate on (discuss, detail, illustrate,…) the message. August Newsletter), the apparently com- the point, in theorem-proof fashion. monsense story-telling approach, with conclusions at the very end, works poorly Turning chronological paragraphs into in professional contexts. Stating the mes- message-first ones requires more than just sage first works better for full documents turning the last sentence into the first one: or presentations, and also for individual It requires a change of logic, perhaps con- sections or paragraphs. veyed chiefly through various signal words. A chronological structure, leading to con- Technical writers usually agree that effec- clusions as an end point, is essentially a tive paragraphs start with a topic sentence, logic of therefore. A message-first structure, orienting the readers to the topic, and by contrast, is more typically a logic of possibly the structure, of the paragraph. indeed. A paragraph without a topic sentence is often misleading at first reading and does Dr. Jean-luc Doumont teaches and provides not allow readers to retrieve information advice on professional speaking, writing, easily through subsequent skimming. Such and graphing. Over the last 15 years he has paragraphs, lacking a unifying theme, are helped audiences of all ages, backgrounds, unfortunately frequent in the materials and nationalities structure their thoughts and methods sections of scientific literature and construct their communication and research reports. (http://www.JLConsulting.be).

V OLUME 45 • NUMBER 5 13 NEWSLETTER

W ORKING F REELANCE THE FREELANCE PERSONALITY s there such a thing as a freelance per- A freelancer can build a stable of regular sonality? The freelancers I know (myself clients and have a track record of staying included) pride themselves on their as busy as he or she wants, but the fact individuality. But, when examined as a remains that the work can always dry Igroup, successful freelancers do share some up. There may be gaps of weeks or even common character traits. Before we discuss months between freelance assignments. those traits, let’s spend a moment on the Until the next contract is signed, the free- definition of success. lancer can’t be sure where the next check is coming from. Freelancing is not for some- Certainly, by successful freelancers we mean JULIA LAND one who is paralyzed by that uncertainty. those who achieve success measured in monetary terms. That is, they earn enough Because of the unpredictability of the free- income to meet their financial needs. But, lancer’s work, he or she may be faced with for the sake of this column, we are going unusual and unexpected problems. The to include another type of success: Success- freelancer must be resourceful enough to ful freelancers are happy with their free- find solutions quickly. lance business. They are not freelancing until something else comes along and they Strong Work Ethic do not wish they could meet their financial needs some other way. Freelancers need to be self-motivated. They don’t have bosses coming by every What are the traits that characterize the so often to see what they are doing and successful freelancer? The ones I find most to make sure they meet their deadlines. significant are flexibility, a strong work So freelancers must take on that function ethic, fiscal responsibility, good social skills, themselves. They need to be self-starters self-confidence, and resilience. and willing to work hard, often more than the typical 40-hour workweek. No one person is likely to have all those traits in equal strength, and they are also The commitment to high quality work found in individuals who are successful and the ability to produce it are as impor- employees. But here is why those traits tant as a willingness to work hard. A free- are so important to freelancing. lancer with a reputation for good work will find many more opportunities than one Flexibility with a mediocre standard. Perhaps the most important characteristic Freelancers should be highly organized Networking is is flexibility: the ability to handle uncer- with the ability to plan ahead. If they are a primary means of tainty and change gracefully, to be resource- working for more than one client at a time, ful, to learn quickly. they must keep on schedule for all clients finding new work. and still plan ahead for finding new work A freelancer’s life is filled with change. when the current assignments are completed. There are new clients, new projects from old clients. The successful freelancer Fiscal Responsibility remains calm and comfortable and adjusts quickly to such changes. A freelancer’s ability to manage money has as much to do with his or her success Clients expect the freelancer to quickly be as the ability to earn it. To be comfortable up to speed on the work and to be produc- with the uncertainty that pervades a free- tive right away. They do not want to pay lance career, the freelancer must have while the freelancer learns. To keep clients financial reserves. happy and to attract repeat business, the freelancer must be able to learn quickly Although it is prudent for everyone to and put new knowledge to use immediately. have savings, it is critical for freelancers,

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who often experience a more uneven cash is no boss to stop by with pats on the back. flow than regular employees. There may Freelancers have to have confidence in be gaps between clients. More likely, there their skills so they know when they are may be a delay of 30 to 60 or even 90 days doing good work, and so they can keep between starting a new project or client going with few, if any, words of praise. and actually receiving payment from the client. The successful freelancer must have Freelancers need enough confidence to the reserves to wait for the payment. be decisive, to make and stick to decisions. There is no time to revisit decisions again In addition, a freelancer with adequate and again. reserves can be choosier about which clients and projects to accept. A freelancer Freelancers must also have the self-confi- who is concerned about being able to pay dence and the self-knowledge to recognize bills finds it much harder to turn down an their weaknesses and to compensate for undesirable project or pay rate than one them. They may have to ask others for who can afford to wait for a week or even assistance, whether it is subcontracting part Not only money: a month before accepting a new project. of a project or performing some other pro- Successful freelancers fessional service. They may need to adjust Social Skills their work habits or environment to cope are happy with with their personality. Freelancers are constantly working with their business. new people. They meet new vendors, new For example, I know I am easy to distract clients, and employees of clients. The free- when at home. A home office is not an lancers must be able to forge the necessary effective place for me to work. The solu- working relationships in a minimum tion for me is to rent space in an office amount of time. building. By going to my office each day, I am more productive. For many freelancers, networking is a pri- mary means of keeping abreast of the mar- Resilience ket and of finding new work. Successful The freelance life has its share of disap- networking requires a genuine affection pointments (the job that got away) and for people, and the ability to relate well problems (the fixed-fee job that’s taking with them. much longer than planned). A freelancer must be able to absorb those issues, deal Self-confidence with them, and move on. The freelancer The finding and securing of new clients cannot stay down or disappointed. He or and new work requires self-confidence. she must stay focused and optimistic. Freelancers need to be able to sell them- Resilience includes flexibility, but it also selves, to convince the potential clients includes determination. Whether it is to that they can do the work required and, get a certain client or simply to succeed as furthermore, are worth the rates they a freelancer, the freelancer must have the want to collect. determination to proceed no matter what. Most clients are concerned about costs, The support of family and friends can be and justifying freelance rates can be diffi- critical to maintaining resilience in the face cult. Freelancers must be confident that of difficulties, but the freelancer must pro- they are worth the asking rate and that if vide most of the resilience from within. this project doesn’t materialize, another will. Having a financial reserve allows the Additional Factors freelancer to wait for that other project to materialize. There are two other factors that, while not personality characteristics, are also vital to Self-confidence goes hand in hand with freelance success. the self-motivation that is part of work ethic. Just as there is no boss to stop by The first is good health. A freelancer in a and be sure the work is on schedule, there sole proprietorship cannot afford to get (continued on page 17)

V OLUME 45 • NUMBER 5 15 NEWSLETTER

N ET N OTES WHO IS BOBBY ? f you work for a governmental agency it illegal to deny access to those with dis- or any other organization responsible abilities. In 1996 the U.S. Department of for disseminating information to the Justice affirmed this in a letter to Senator public, you may have heard about Tom Harkin, who was inquiring whether Ithe recent revision to section 508 of the a Web-only business was required to meet Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In a nutshell, ADA standards (http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ any information technology (IT) procured foia/tal712.txt). by the federal government (or any agency with a federal government contract) after The World Wide Web Consortium reports ELIZABETH MOELLER 25 June 2001 must meet the accessibility that between 10 and 20 percent of any standards set forth by the Access Board. country’s population have some form of dis- These standards are based on the long- ability. Although not all disabilities affect standing Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) accessing the Web, people with vision, of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). hearing, dexterity, and short-term memory disabilities do have problems accessing Now that I have thrown some acronyms the Web (http://www.w3c.org/Talks/WAI- at you and confused you with the title of Intro/slide6-0.html). The vision disability this column, it’s time to get to the meat. problems are obvious. Those with hearing All of these acts and initiatives are in place disabilities are at a disadvantage when to ensure that Web sites developed by and audio is used to convey information with- for the federal government are accessible out including a printed transcript. Those to disabled persons. For example, blind with dexterity problems are at a disadvan- Web-site visitors will use text-to-voice con- tage when site design prohibits the use verters to “read” a site. The ability of these of voice-command software. Finally, those converters to translate the Web site relies with short-term memory problems are on the design of the site. hindered when site navigation is unclear or illogical. Many Web sites that What Does Accessibility Mean? meet accessibility Accessibility means that your (or any) First, a little background on Web accessi- Web site is designed so that text-to-voice standards are also more bility in the United States. For informa- converters can interpret it. It means that user-friendly for those tion on how other countries are handling visitors can use voice-command software Web accessibility, visit the policies page to navigate through it. It means that your without disabilities. of the Web Accessibility Initiative (http:// navigation is clear and coherent to prevent www.w3.org/WAI/Policy/). In the U.S. the a “lost in space” feeling, a feeling often Rehabilitation Act of 1973 contains two shared even by those without short-term sections that outline the need for accessi- memory problems. bility: sections 504 and 508. Accessibility does not mean that you have Section 504 establishes the “principle of a bland Web site. Many accessible sites are programmatic access to federally funded programs.” While it does not specifically well designed and graphically pleasing to recognize the Internet or World Wide the eye. W3C reports that many Web sites Web, it lays the foundation for accessibility that meet accessibility standards are also of those services. more user-friendly for those without dis- abilities (http://www.w3.org/Talks/WAI- The recent revision to section 508 addresses Intro/slide7-0.html). For example, audio the Internet and the World Wide Web with an accompanying text-based script with regard to accessibility. In addition, is more usable in noisy environments or it recognizes the Assistive Technology Act in companies that did not install speakers of 1998 and extends the requirements to with their computer systems. Audio also state governments. Finally, the Americans helps accommodate many different learn- with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 makes ing styles.

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How Do I Know Whether My Site Sites that meet priority level 1 accessibility Is Accessible? can display the Bobby Approved logo. This is where Bobby comes in. W3C has A second way to check your site’s acces- identified three priority levels for accessi- sibility is to view it in Lynx, one of the bility. All Web sites that must conform to original text-only browsers for the World ADA or section 508 guidelines must meet Wide Web. There is a free Lynx viewer at priority level 1. Those that do not will be http://www.delorie.com/web/lynxview.html. impossible for some groups to view and The check here is to see whether you can should meet priority level 2, at which some navigate through your Web site, using The main portion of groups will still find it difficult to access Lynx, and still find the information you information, but not impossible. Web are looking for. the PCS Web site meets sites may want to meet priority level 3, which means they remove all barriers to For the record, the main portion of the the requirements for all groups. The complete content guide- PCS Web site (http://www.ieeepcs.org/) Bobby approval. lines can be found at http://www.w3.org/ meets the requirements for Bobby approval. TR/WCAG10/. In the next issue, I will cover the accessi- bility guidelines in more detail. Bobby is a product of the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST). It is a free Elizabeth Weise Moeller is vice president of piece of software, downloadable from PCS and chair of the meetings committee. CAST (http://www.cast.org/bobby), that She owns Interactive Media Consulting, Web developers can use to determine what LLC (+1 518 587 5107, beth@imedia priority level their Web site meets. You can consult.com), a World Wide Web and also use the online version. Bobby provides Internet training firm in Saratoga Springs, explanations and rationales for problems it New York, which provides Web-site design encounters and suggests what developers and Internet training for businesses in could do to improve their Bobby rating. the northeast.

WORKING FREELANCE (continued from page 15) seriously sick. Not only would the income tions in good working order. They have a be reduced, but also clients may decide to ready supply of business cards. They follow seek other freelancers if they are concerned up on the chance encounters, converting that their work will not be done. Further, them to opportunities either now or for without the stamina good health brings, the future. Success means not it would be impossible to work the long So, that is the picture of the ideal free- only money but also hours that it takes to establish a freelance lancer personality. Do I fit the ideal? Not business. contentment. even close. None of the freelancers I know The second is luck. There is a large ele- fills the mold completely, either. But we all ment of chance in operating a freelance manage to make a living as freelancers any- business. A chance meeting or a casual way. And most of us enjoy ourselves. remark may lead to an opportunity. Good The author has been a freelance technical freelancers are always ready to capitalize on writer for eight years. She is lucky enough to luck. They keep their professional skills in live and work in Houston, Texas. She can top shape and their networking connec- be reached at [email protected].

“Nothing so conclusively proves a man’s ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself.” — Thomas J. Watson

V OLUME 45 • NUMBER 5 17 NEWSLETTER

T OOLS OF THE T RADE TOOLS AND OBSTACLES lease take a moment to think of a consultant arrived on the second day to colleague at work. Would you prefer find that the VCR she had ordered was not him or her to consider you as a there. Since she had videotaped the presen- tool or an obstacle? Would you tations the previous day, she needed the Prather be approached as a help or a hin- VCR to go over them with the presenters. drance to that person’s job or career? She asked the secretary of the person in charge to find her a VCR. PETER REIMOLD AND Perhaps you are thinking, “Neither! I CHERYL REIMOLD don’t exist to be either a tool or an obsta- The secretary took her time, then called cle for somebody else.” If so, your reaction the appropriate person and had a long, mirrors that of 98 percent of people ques- gossipy conversation. She hung up and tioned. Unless we have a pitifully low opin- said, “Sorry, they need the VCR for some- ion of ourselves, we do not appreciate thing else.” being treated as a cog in another person’s machine. At this point—five minutes before the class was to begin—the consultant lost Now, in your mind, go back to the office. whatever equanimity she may have had. Say you’re working on a project and need She now perceived the secretary as an information, help, or cooperation from obstacle instead of a tool and proceeded someone else. How do you treat that per- to treat her as such. son? Do you regard him as a complete, interesting human being? Or do you see “Obviously,” said the consultant, “you him as a tool or obstacle to getting your have no interest in helping me get what job done? Hmm? I need. I will go to your boss and tell him how unhelpful you have been. I’m sure he People Resent Being Tools or Obstacles will manage to get me a VCR.” Treating other people as tools or obstacles The boss found a VCR and reprimanded is one of the biggest causes of miscom- the secretary. The consultant won the munication at work. The problem is that battle (she was able to teach her course almost all of us have been taught to be as planned) but totally lost the war. On all task-oriented problem solvers. We’re also her subsequent classes there, the secretary The other person overworked. The result is that we stop see- has found ways to introduce difficulties: matters most. Always. ing other people as valuable human beings reserving the smallest possible conference whom we respect and enjoy. Instead, we room, setting up measly refreshments, There are no exceptions. see them as…right: T and O. and so on. What happens when we do that? Earlier, It was the consultant’s fault. She treated you noted your own reaction to such treat- the secretary first as a tool, then as an ment. You become resentful, and you do obstacle. not want to cooperate. The Solution Ironically, task-oriented people who approach a colleague as a tool or an obsta- What is the answer, then? The only cle jeopardize not only the relationship but approach guaranteed to work, in the office also the success of the task. or anywhere else, is people-focused com- munication. This means seeing the other A (Personal) Case History person as more important than the task. The mantra of a great communicator could We know of a consultant (one of us!) be this: who committed this error some years ago. Invited to teach a presentation skills course The other person matters most. Always. at a telecommunications corporation, the There are no exceptions.

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In fact, once we refuse to treat other peo- firm, PERC Communications (telephone ple as tools or obstacles for our work, our +1 914 725 1024, e-mail [email protected]), work will benefit from it. Not to mention offers businesses consulting and writing our work lives. services, as well as customized in-house courses on writing, presentation skills, and Cheryl and Peter Reimold have been teach- on-the-job communication skills. Visit their ing communication skills to engineers, scien- Web site at http://www.allaboutcommu tists, and businesspeople for 20 years. Their nication.com.

IPCC 2002: REFLECTIONS ON COMMUNICATION hile you’re planning for IPCC 01 in Santa Fe, set some time and thought aside for IPCC 2002: 17-20 September in beautiful Wdowntown Portland, Oregon. The theme, Reflections on Communication, encom- passes the many dimensions of a profession vital to our technological society. [And explains why we’re calling it IPCC 2002 instead of IPCC 02. Ed.] and finance chair Paul Seesing are from The call for papers includes the following Salem, Oregon. Program cochairs Pamela categories: abstract conceptualization, Kostur and Jane Aronovitch are from active experimentation, concrete experi- Toronto, Ontario, Canada; publications ence, and reflective observation. It is posted chair Terry Malkinson is from Calgary, on the PCS Web site (http://www.ieeepcs. Alberta; and publicity chair Julie Gephart org/2002/) and look for a copy in your is from Richland, Washington. We have registration kit at the Santa Fe conference. been “meeting” by phone and e-mail reg- Contact [email protected] for ularly since March and planning is well more information. under way. We’d love to have you join us! The conference committee is far-flung and Visit http://www.ieeepcs.org/2002/ for up- diverse: Conference chair Laurel Grove dates or contact [email protected].

EXPERIENCED IN WEB-BASED EDUCATION? CS is about to chart an education communication course for engineers. initiative and we need your help. Our group will identify a target audience, If you have experience in distance- course subject, vendor to create the course, learning curriculum design, please and marketing opportunities. If you would Pconsider joining our group as we direct like to join our virtual team, please contact development of an exciting new online Nancy Coppola, [email protected].

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P ROFESSOR G RAMMAR BEWARE OF IDIOMS his spring the Professor enjoyed needed) that writers avoid using idioms many pleasant late afternoons in her like these in any information that might garden, which was filled with partic- be translated or used by people for whom ularly beautiful flowers this year. She U.S. English is not the primary language. Talso enjoyed hosting a third cousin, Greta, Remember that those users are likely to who visited the United States for the first translate these expressions literally, one time from her native Austria. While show- word at a time. Imagine how a non-native ing Greta the variety of flowers in her gar- English speaker might translate the follow- den, the Professor was reminded of the ing idioms: delicate nature of language, which can be catch 22 prone to overgrown, unwanted weeds if clipped (truncated) Copyright IBM Corp. not well cared for. cut and dried (straightforward) 1998, 2000 The Professor was explaining to Greta holding tank (buffer or temporary work area) that the local nursery owner advised her houses (stores) keep in mind (remember) to plant Impatiens plants six inches apart, on the fly (spontaneously) but she admitted to her cousin that she on the other hand (alternatively) takes this advice with a grain of salt. Greta, on the spot (immediately) whose English is quite good, looked inquis- out on a limb (taking a risk) itively at the Professor, who explained that pass on (grant) the expression means that one is unlikely pick up (use) to heed 100 percent of the advice. plays little part (has nothing to do with) rule of thumb (guideline or estimate) That evening the Professor, curious about run short (use all available resources and the origin of the “grain of salt” idiom, have no more) opened her oft-used copy of Loose Can- shut down (turn off) nons and Red Herrings: A Book of Lost shut out (deny access) Metaphors by Robert Claiborne (W. W. small window (small period of opportunity) Norton & Co., 1988) to see if this idiom take…with a grain of salt (don’t assume is documented therein. Indeed, the book it is always true) explains that this idiom is said to be of tie up (monopolize, fully use) Latin origin, although no classical writer with…in mind (considering that) is known to have used the phrase. The zero in (determine) book continues, “The most likely explana- As the Professor gazes admiringly over Readers are likely tion is also the simplest: if you take some- her well-tended garden of beautiful flow- one’s statement with a grain of salt, it ers, she concludes by admitting that using to translate idioms evidently needs some seasoning before idioms in our everyday speech or in infor- you can swallow it.” literally, one word mation whose audience is 100 percent This exchange with Greta reminded the native English speaking can make the lan- at a time. Professor of the frequent use of idioms in guage more interesting, more appealing the technical information that she edits. perhaps. Beware, however, the idioms that Idiomatic expressions cause problems for creep into language for our non-native translation tools, human translators, and English-speaking users! especially for users for whom English is Copyright 2001 by IBM Corporation. Used a second or third language. Even users with permission. Professor Grammar is an from other English-speaking countries advisor to the IBM Santa Teresa Laboratory have difficulty understanding some idioms Editing Council. Each month she sends a that originate in the United States (and lesson to the technical writers at the Labora- U.S. users also have trouble understand- tory. Many of the Professor’s lessons are based ing some idioms that originate in other on tenets described in the Prentice-Hall book English-speaking countries.) Developing Quality Technical Informa- Because of the confusion that idioms can tion: A Handbook for Writers and Editors, cause, the Professor advises (with no salt recently authored by the Council.

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SUZDAL PROGRAM

International Colloquium on Professional Communication: Problems, Technology, Services

SUZDAL, RUSSIA 15-16 AUGUST 2001

OPENING CEREMONY Colloquium highlights and welcome from the Russian Popov Society: Henrich Lantsberg, chair, Professional Communication Section Welcome from the IEEE Professional Communication Society: George Hayhoe, president (presented by Lisa Moretto) SESSION A: THE ART OF COMMUNICATION; Henrich Lantsberg, moderator 1. Patrick Hofmann (Quarry Integrated Communications Inc., Canada) Away With Words! 2. Mark Kolchinsky (Institute for Industrial Development–Informelektro, Russia) Effectiveness of a Document as an Instrument of Professional Communication: 40 Years After 3. Gennady Vorobiev (Scientific Council on Cybernetics, Russian Academy of Sciences) Interpersonal Communications in Science: Contemporary Status and Tendencies of Development 4. Karen Baranich (Scana Services, U.S.) Evaluating Your Own Communication

SESSION A (cont.); Muriel Zimmerman (U.S.), moderator 5. Irina Marshakova-Shaikevich (Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences, and University of Bydgoszez, Poland) Science on the Eve of the 21st Century: Bibliometric Assessment 6. Delir Lakhuti (Russian State Humanitarian University) Prospects for Automatic Text Analysis (“Understanding”)

SESSION B: INFORMATION SYSTEMS; Inessa Bukatova (Russia), moderator 1. Inessa Bukatova (Institute of Radioengineering and Electronics, Russian Academy of Sciences) Cognitive Evolutionary Theory of Intellectual Information Systems and Technologies 2. O. V. Esikov, R. N. Akinshin, E. M. Sukharev, and S. A. Kislitsin (Joint Stock Company, Russia) Information Security Mathematical Model in Modern Automatic Systems for Data Processing 3. E. A. Rogozhnikov (Institute of Radioengineering and Electronics) Analysis of Processes of Intellectualization of Integrity-Evolutionary Modeling Information Systems 4. Eduardo H. Clark (Nortel Networks, U.S.) Documentation Management Systems for Professional Services Organizations

SESSION B (cont.); Ron Blicq (Canada), moderator 5. O. M. Roshchupkin (Institute of Radioengineering and Electronics) The Integrity-Evolutionary and Automatic Banking Systems of New Generation 6. L. M. Martynov (Ministry of Communication and Informatization of Russian Federation) New Century—New Communication Equipment 7. V.S. Zalogin (Research Institute, Russia) Scientific Information Activity Rating in a Research Evaluation Management System

V OLUME 45 • NUMBER 5 21 NEWSLETTER SESSION C: ELECTRONIC BOOKS AND LIBRARIES; Ruggero Giliarevsky (Russia), moderator 1. O. Barysheva and R. Giliarevsky (All-Russian Institute for Scientific and Technical Information, Russian Academy of Sciences, and Moscow State University) Electronic Books and Libraries: Russian View 2. N. E. Kalenov (Library for Natural Sciences, Russian Academy of Sciences) Automatic Information–Library Service for Scientists 3. A. Glushanovskii, S. Vlasova, N. Kalenov, T. Solovieva (Library for Natural Sciences) Electronic Resources on the Internet

SESSION D: WEB SITE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT; Scott DeLoach (U.S.) and Andrei Mendkovich (Russia), moderators 1. D. I. Sidelnikov and A. S. Mendkovich (Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences) IPv6 in Russian Networks: First Steps 2. Jean-luc Doumont (JL Consulting, Belgium) Creating Web Pages: Old or New World? 3. Scott DeLoach (User First Services, Inc., U.S.) User-centered Design for Informational Web Sites 4. O. Zaikin, P. Korytkowski (Technical University of Szczecin, Institute of Computer Science and Information Systems, Poland) Queuing Approach to Performance Evaluation in Distributed Production Networks

SESSION E: TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION EDUCATION Part 1: TC Education in the U.S.; Lisa Moretto (U.S.), moderator 1. Julie Fisher (Victoria University, Australia) and Ron Blicq (RGI International, Canada) Who Are the Technical Communicators and Where Is Their Profession Going? Part 1: Technical Writing to Technical Communication: What Is the Future of the Profession? Part 2: The Early Years of Technical Communication 2. Elizabeth Pierce (RGI International, U.S.) Teaching Technical Communication Skills to Children and Young Adults 3. Gail Palmer (Georgia Institute of Technology, U.S.) Integrating Professional Communication Skills Into Graduate Engineering Education 4. Muriel Zimmerman (University of California, U.S.) Educating the University Engineering Student in Communication Skills 5. Lisa Moretto (RGI International, U.S.) Educating Technical Professionals in Communication Skills

SESSION E (cont.); Ruggero Giliarevsky (Russia), moderator Part 2: TC Education in Russia • Mark Kolchinsky • Gennady Vorobiev • Delir Lakhuti • Ruggero Giliarevsky • Irina Marshakova-Shaikevich Round Table Discussion: Intersociety Relations and Cooperation; Henrich Lantsberg and Lisa Moretto, moderators Signing the Agreement on Cooperation between the IEEE Professional Communication Society and the Russian Popov Society Professional Communication Section

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ATANTALIZING GLANCE AT IPCC 01 (continued from back cover) Web site (http://www.ieeepcs.org/2001/) you guidelines you can apply right away, for ticket information. based on usability testing and practitioner lore. You can expect to spend most of the The Friday program continues this diverse day writing, writing, writing. You do not selection, culminating in a plenary retro- need to know any HTML for this work- spective on how IPCC and the society have shop; our focus is on crafting text that changed since our last visit to Santa Fe in people will like to read on the Web. 1992, with some thoughts on where we might go from here. S. Martin (Marty) Shelton Using New Media Effectively: Script Postconference Workshops Design for Information Film, Video, On Saturday, the 27th, you have your and Multimedia choice of four postconference workshops We will explore the basic grammar and for an additional fee. And now you get to syntax of motion-media as a communica- be tantalized as well: Because they are all- tion tool. Motion-media scripting has day events, you can attend only one! The almost nothing to do with writing. Rather, following descriptions were provided by it’s about using filmic-design techniques the instructors; for more information, to encode information in coherent kinetic visit our Web site. visuals that engender empathy in target …Dr. Moira Gunn, Andrea L. Ames audiences. Our goal as communicators keynote speaker; Whose UI Is It, Anyway? Designing is to psychologically manipulate the Information as Software minds of our audience so that they will Dr. Janice Redish, say, act, do, or think to achieve the goals Today’s information-rich interfaces, set for the show. If we are to maintain Goldsmith Award sometimes known as “Weblications,” are currency in this profession of ours, we lecturer… becoming more prevalent, spurred by must become proficient in motion-media application development in Web-based design and production. technologies. Participate in several exer- cises and learn a few new skills, some new Rives Hassell-Corbiell knowledge, and several user-interface Writing Effective Training-Instructional design techniques to get you started. Start Design for Technical Communicators thinking about ways to design information Learn how to make classroom, online, or into user interfaces (e.g., embedded assis- CD training more than just a bite-sized tance), enhancing the user experience, as repetition of documentation. Using job well as ways to design user-interface and aids, you will perform each training devel- interaction into your information, making opment task. In addition, you will learn your traditional help systems more usable. how to customize training, convert exist- ing tutorials and user guides to meet a Jonathan Price specific training need, and troubleshoot Web Writing ABCs your own projects. Project management Professional communicators must develop issues and guidelines for estimating devel- an electronic style to prepare materials for opment time will be included for each step Web delivery. This workshop focuses on of the development process. the prose style you need if you want your To Learn More… documents to be easy to navigate, easy to understand, and easy to use. It will give http://www.ieeepcs.org/2001/.

“Let thy speech be short, comprehending much in a few words.” — Apocrypha

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ATANTALIZING GLANCE AT IPCC 01 ometimes in the day-to-day crush of show’s goal of “addressing every facet deadlines and assignments we forget of American life through the lens of tech- how interesting and exciting our pro- nology: a life that is changing before our fession can be. The program that Roger very eyes.” SGrice has put together for our Santa Fe Thus inspired to see our work in a new conference this October should cure that! light, we’ll begin technical sessions. The IPCC 01 begins at noon Wednesday, 24 Wednesday afternoon program emphasizes October, with a keynote luncheon that computer-related topics. (SIGDOC atten- also wraps up the Association for Com- dees are invited to sit in on our Wednesday puting Machinery’s SIGDOC conference. sessions, and IPCC 01 attendees who arrive The speaker will be Dr. Moira Gunn, host Wednesday morning will be welcome at of the public radio program TechNation: SIGDOC sessions. If you’d like to attend Americans and Technology. Her familiarity both conferences, each is extending an with both the substance and the implica- attractive crossover-registration discount to tions of science and technology comes those who are fully registered for the other.) firsthand. Formerly a scientist and engineer Thursday brings a wide-ranging mix of with the National Aeronautics and Space topics, including some that will be pre- Administration, she holds a Ph.D. degree sented at greater than usual length—a full in mechanical engineering as well as 90 minutes. At noon we begin a three- degrees in computer science. hour siesta that will give you a chance to TechNation’s thousand-plus guests have see a bit of Santa Fe without missing any been tremendously varied in background talks. You’ll want to come back on time, and outlook; high-tech entrepreneurs and though, because Dr. Janice Redish will novelists and astronauts and politicians present the Goldsmith Award lecture, have all given their perspectives. “Every- after which there will be a late afternoon one is a piece of the puzzle. Everyone is session. Finally, the awards banquet will essential,” is how Dr. Gunn explains her honor accomplishment and service; eclectic and inclusive approach to the consult the registration page on our (continued on page 23)

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24 S EPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2001 Send Form 3579 to: IEEE, 3 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016