Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!mordor!sri-spam!ames!aurora!labrea!agate!ucbvax!hplabs!hplabsz!taylor
From: NU092254@ndsuvm1.BITNET (Brian Dall)
Newsgroups: comp.society
Subject: Re: The Aesthetics of Computers
Message-ID: <1526@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM>
Date: 2 Feb 88 08:37:09 GMT
Sender: taylor@hplabsz.HPL.HP.COM
Organization: North Dakota Higher Education Computer Network, Fargo, ND
Lines: 38
Approved: taylor@hplabs

Norman Soley wrote:

> This was written and edited on VDT (I have no printer here). And I'm
> sure there is at least one spelling error and one gross miscarriage 
> of english grammar somewhere in here even though I've read it over 
> very carefully several times.

    I am a copy editor at a newspaper.  The paper employs two copy
editors; my collegue handles the "hardcopy" that comes in, and I
usually handle all of the "softcopy."  Sometimes we help each other
out, but often she sits at the table all day, and I sit behind a CRT
at a desk.  Both of us agree that copy editing is easier on the CRT,
but it is easier to fulfill our "gate keeping" function when working
with the hardcopy.

     The terms:  Hardcopy is paper with printing on it.  Softcopy is
a floppy disk with information stored on it.  "Copy editing" involves
looking for factual error and errors in spelling, grammar, usage, style,
and editorial policy violations, and correcting them.  We also have to
indicate typeface (point size, line length, line spacing, font, and
justification).  Gate keeping is deciding what is and what is not going
to be put in the paper (based on quality, available space and some other
factors).

     On the computer we have macros set up mnemonically to handle setting
the typeface, and error correction and re-organization of material is
easier and less messy.  Deciding whether or not to run a story using
hardcopy is easy because you just start making piles and shift things
around until it looks right.  If you change your mind, no big problem.
On the computer however, either it is in or it is out.  Once you zap
a file it's gone.  Copying edited files into a temporary storage area and
deleting them from the work area is how we handle that now.  If you lose
an edited file, you can still go back to the unedited file and re-edit
it if you need to.

    Oh, the error you were looking for but couldn't find:  English
is always capitalized.

Bri