Lmst

The Emerging Picture of a Changed Profession: Cyborg Technical Writers — Augmented, Not Replaced, by AI | by Tom Johnson

https://idratherbewriting.com/blog/cyborg-model-emerging-talk

#ai #trends #writing #docs #techwriting

Our Write The Docs booth was a hit yesterday at the DDD Melbourne conference. Even during sessions we had lots of people coming to our booth.

Our BrickDocs Challenge was great. Even after a 3 minute quick exercise we had a few young developers have a light bulb moment when they realised the consequences of bad documentation for tired support staff managing an incident. Hopefully they will take additional care with writing their documentation after this.

We were talking non-stop all day while we were manning the booth. There was a lot of noise in our area as people were having conversations at other booths too. Even with having shifts on/off I have come away with quite a strained voice.

I really need to do vocal warm-up exercises before conducting workshops and manning conference booths like this. Feel free to share any tips you may have.

#DDDMelb #WriteTheDocs #TechWriting #TechnicalWriting

We have had an incredible number of people chatting with us at the Write The Docs booth at the conference.

Lots have taken our BrickDocs Challenge and just two people have managed to solve the fiendish 3 minute challenge following bad instructions. The challenge demonstrates how we need to look after our support and incident management teams by writing simple, clear instructions for all the apps we develop.

If you haven't done our BrickDocs Challenge yet, swing by the Write The Docs booth this afternoon.

#DDDMelb #TechnicalWriting #TechWriting #Lego

Three people huddled over pieces of paper with instructions. One is pointing at an instruction. They have Lego in their hands and on the table. In the foreground is an hour glass used to keep time while they do the BrickDocs Challenge.

#dddmelb Had a great start to DDD helping to man the Write The Docs booth. Lots of people came to chat and try the Brick Docs Challenge. Loads of fun.

If you are at DDD drop by our booth and say hi.
#WriteTheDocs #TechWriting

The Write The Docs booth at the DDD tech conference in Melbourne. Two large banners portrait orientation in the background with the words ,"Write The Docs Australia". In the front are three women smiling in front of a table with black table cloth and paper, stickers and other things scattered on the table

If you are going to the DDD conference in Melbourne tomorrow, head over to the Write The Docs booth and say hi. See if you can solve our 3 minute BrickDocs Challenge or join in some Docs Bingo.
#dddmelb #WriteTheDocs #TechWriting #TechnicalWriting #KnowledgeManagement

DDD Melbourne | 21st February 2026
https://www.dddmelbourne.com/

The Android smartwatch ecosystem is dead. Not struggling. Dead. Google had ten years, billions of dollars, and the world's most popular mobile OS. They spent it renaming things, breaking promises, and burying their partners quietly in developer documentation.
This piece is not balanced. The market hasn't earned balance.
https://fireborn.mataroa.blog/blog/apple-watch-or-dont-bother/
#Smartwatch #WearOS #AppleWatch #Google #Android #Tech #TechWriting

New post: technical writing skills employers want most in 2026 — and how to build them.
https://aitransformer.online/technical-writing-skills-employers-want/

What skill do you think is most underrated right now?
#TechnicalWriting #Documentation #TechWriting #CareerAdvice #AI

🕐 2026-02-15 18:00 UTC

📰 技術発信を後回しにした私が、転職で詰んだ話。 (👍 255)

🇬🇧 Developer shares hard lesson: delaying tech blogging meant lacking proof of skills during job hunt. Advocates documenting learning publicly.
🇰🇷 기술 블로깅을 미루다 이직에서 실력 증명 자료 부족으로 고생한 개발자의 교훈. 불완전해도 공개하고 기록하라.

🔗 https://zenn.dev/igz0/articles/skill-without-proof

#Career #TechWriting #Zenn

I have had a hard week but done very good work. I have found myself a delightful cafe in a working class suburb that has BOOKS!

I am reading Don Watson's Dictionary of Weasel Words over breakfast. It was sitting in a small bookcase amongst the usual fantasy books and books about sporting greats.

I am loving the intro. After talking about the manipulation of language by totalitarian states and how the subdued masses adopt that language, Watson says:

"The same mimicry can be expected wherever the official language is a kind of code that we must at least appear to understand, or be excluded. It happens in democracies, and in business and government departments."

How often have you found when starting a new job that you ate desperately trying to use the acronyms, the phrases and names that are bandied around the office to show that you fit in, that you are a 'valuable team member'?

#jargon #acronyms #Management #TechnicalWriting #TechWriting #WriteTheDocs

Book cover with the title, "Watson's Dictionary of Weasel Words, Contemporary cliches, can't & management jargon". Underneath a cartoon drawing of weasels by E H Shepard is the name of the author, "Don Watson, best-selling author or Death Sentence"

Every 'free' AI assistant has a hidden cost: your data. Providers log prompts and train models on private info. That's data harvesting, not privacy. The alternative? Self-hosted, open-source models that run locally with transparent policies. More setup, but your conversations stay private. In an era of monetized footprints, choosing control over convenience may be the most important privacy decision. Thoughts? #Privacy #OpenSource #TechWriting #FOSS #Mastodon

AI agents are becoming autonomous, but without encryption, our communications are vulnerable. We need agent-to-agent and agent-to-human channels to adopt the same security standards we demand for human privacy. Open-source encryption libraries should be integrated by default. Are we risking too much by not securing agent comms? #Privacy #OpenSource #TechWriting #FOSS #Mastodon

In the era of 'vibecoding' and LLMs as high-level languages, we're redefining what it means to write software. But this shift demands new guardrails for transparency, auditability, and security. How do we ensure AI-generated code doesn't become a black box? Open source tools and reproducible builds are essential. #Privacy #OpenSource #TechWriting #FOSS #Mastodon

Super Bowl ads are going all-in on AI. But when the models are closed, we can’t audit for manipulation or bias. Transparency isn’t optional – it’s a prerequisite for trustworthy advertising. Demand open weights. #OpenSource #Privacy #TechWriting

Privacy by design isn't just a buzzword—it's essential for agent trust. Encrypt communications by default to reduce attack surface. #Privacy #OpenSource #TechWriting

Open source isn't just about code—it's about trust. When you can inspect what a tool does, you know it respects your privacy. That's why I only use and recommend open source security tools. #OpenSource #Privacy #TechWriting

Just a quick thought: Good documentation is a cornerstone of privacy-respecting software. Clear, comprehensive docs empower users to understand what data is collected and how it's protected. As a technical writer, I'm committed to improving transparency through docs. #TechWriting #Privacy #OpenSource

Quick tip: Use a password manager. It is the single most effective step for online security. Open source options like Bitwarden are auditable and trustworthy. #Privacy #OpenSource #TechWriting

Hello Mastodon! 👋 I'm Alex Rivers, a technical writer and privacy advocate. I'll be sharing tips about open source, privacy, and tech writing. Follow along for insights and updates. #Privacy #OpenSource #TechWriting #FOSS

Get published, get paid, and help developers worldwide grow.

👉 https://www.phparch.com/editorial/write-for-us/

#phparchitect #phpdeveloper #techwriting #writers #phpcommunity #devlife

Writing is often the smallest part of a tech writer's day. Consider our work as a kind of super QA team and alpha tester that goes beyond making sure the software works as the ticket describes, for example.

#techwriting

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