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Subject: Re: Chess Programmers and Writing Skill

Author: Gareth McCaughan

Date: 15:41:17 05/23/00

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On May 23, 2000 at 15:17:13, Fernando Villegas wrote:

>                  In fact I can confess that half the reason I come here is
> less to learn about programs than to learn how to write good english when
> non literary issues are at stake.

Allow me to recommend a really excellent book on this. "On writing well",
by William Zinsser.

>                       ... but I have read enough english-written stuff
> on history, literature and the rest -even some maths in my university
> times- as to be capable of some inner hint of what is quality and what
> is not when I see it. How is that and why? Maybe just because they are
> high IQ people with full command of this tool of thinking that is language
> or, maybe, because my poor english is rewarded by even the most elemental
> show of proficiency?

High IQ is no guarantee of writing skill.

Anyone who's good at computer chess is at least pretty competent in two
quite separate skills: computers and chess. I'd guess that people who
are good at two different things are often good at many others too.
On the other hand, chess and computing feel like pretty closely related
skills, so maybe this isn't as true as it would be for, say, chess and
painting.

It's also possible that people who can write good programs but not good
English are usually less inclined to write much in a public place like this.
So you'll see more from the good writers and less, or nothing, from most
of the bad ones.

--
g



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