Comments on: A rushed report http://andrewnorton.info/2007/07/a-rushed-report/ Observations from Carlton's Lone Classical Liberal Fri, 05 Dec 2008 02:23:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Sacha Blumen http://andrewnorton.info/2007/07/a-rushed-report/#comment-8693 Sacha Blumen Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:10:29 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/07/27/a-rushed-report/#comment-8693 I've never worked in the public sector, although the organisation I currently work for wins a lot of its contracts from governments and most of my work has been connected to contracts for which a government business (domestic or international) is the client. I’ve never worked in the public sector, although the organisation I currently work for wins a lot of its contracts from governments and most of my work has been connected to contracts for which a government business (domestic or international) is the client.

]]> By: Russell http://andrewnorton.info/2007/07/a-rushed-report/#comment-8694 Russell Tue, 31 Jul 2007 04:08:26 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/07/27/a-rushed-report/#comment-8694 Sacha, perhaps you haven't worked in the public sector: first thing to do if there's a problem is to find someone or something to blame. If it needs to go any further than blaming you'll have to put it on the agenda for the next meeting, and if there has to be an outcome then it will have to be put into a plan, and if there has to be a plan you'll need a consultant, and if ........ really it's easier just to learn to live with the problem. Sacha, perhaps you haven’t worked in the public sector: first thing to do if there’s a problem is to find someone or something to blame. If it needs to go any further than blaming you’ll have to put it on the agenda for the next meeting, and if there has to be an outcome then it will have to be put into a plan, and if there has to be a plan you’ll need a consultant, and if …….. really it’s easier just to learn to live with the problem.

]]> By: Sacha http://andrewnorton.info/2007/07/a-rushed-report/#comment-8695 Sacha Tue, 31 Jul 2007 02:49:42 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/07/27/a-rushed-report/#comment-8695 No excuses. No excuses.

]]> By: Russell http://andrewnorton.info/2007/07/a-rushed-report/#comment-8698 Russell Tue, 31 Jul 2007 01:05:48 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/07/27/a-rushed-report/#comment-8698 If the people making these errors are over 50, they, like I , can blame computers! The old eyes just don't cope with tiny letters read through multi-focal glasses, so we just type on and never look back. We've heard of some spell-check function, but it's all too complex ... another icon, another box .... If the people making these errors are over 50, they, like I , can blame computers! The old eyes just don’t cope with tiny letters read through multi-focal glasses, so we just type on and never look back. We’ve heard of some spell-check function, but it’s all too complex … another icon, another box ….

]]> By: Sacha Blumen http://andrewnorton.info/2007/07/a-rushed-report/#comment-8697 Sacha Blumen Mon, 30 Jul 2007 21:57:16 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/07/27/a-rushed-report/#comment-8697 I agree that the errors in your quote are egregious. I don't understand how people whose work involves written communication cannot take the five seconds it would take to fix up glaring and obvious errors. That's the only thing that really gets to me. I agree that the errors in your quote are egregious. I don’t understand how people whose work involves written communication cannot take the five seconds it would take to fix up glaring and obvious errors. That’s the only thing that really gets to me.

]]> By: Andrew Norton http://andrewnorton.info/2007/07/a-rushed-report/#comment-8692 Andrew Norton Mon, 30 Jul 2007 21:04:56 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/07/27/a-rushed-report/#comment-8692 In this case, you could argue that getting the news out quickly justified a lack of proofreading. And I only highlighted the errors of reporters in this case because of the ironic aspect in their reporting praise of their professionalism. However, I don't really agree that correct spelling isn't needed. Yes, we can in this case work out what they are saying, but the thing about good writing is that it is easy to read - the reader is not distracted by mistakes and doesn't have to work hard to work out meaning. Newspapers should create an easy reading experience. In this case, you could argue that getting the news out quickly justified a lack of proofreading. And I only highlighted the errors of reporters in this case because of the ironic aspect in their reporting praise of their professionalism.

However, I don’t really agree that correct spelling isn’t needed. Yes, we can in this case work out what they are saying, but the thing about good writing is that it is easy to read - the reader is not distracted by mistakes and doesn’t have to work hard to work out meaning. Newspapers should create an easy reading experience.

]]> By: Sacha Blumen http://andrewnorton.info/2007/07/a-rushed-report/#comment-8696 Sacha Blumen Mon, 30 Jul 2007 12:54:29 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/07/27/a-rushed-report/#comment-8696 Andrew, all readers of the on-line news would see the multitudes of misspellings that may or may not be later corrected. (It used to annoy me.) To my mind, the misspellings that commonly abound on the on-line news show that if the meaning is clear, correct spelling isn't needed. Andrew, all readers of the on-line news would see the multitudes of misspellings that may or may not be later corrected. (It used to annoy me.)

To my mind, the misspellings that commonly abound on the on-line news show that if the meaning is clear, correct spelling isn’t needed.

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