On 1/31/2011 12:08 PM, Darren New wrote:
> Invisible wrote:
>> Trouble is, I write the outline, start writing the body text, and then
>> discover that this is actually a bad order, due to some dependency I
>> hadn't thought of.
>
> Then you stop writing and you go back and fix the outline. It means your
> outline wasn't detailed enough to start with.
>
>>>> Writing a page or two isn't too hard. (Parsec, anyone?) Writing
>>>> something that's 30 pages long is another matter.
>>>
>>> It's the same process.
>>
>> Not really. I mean, if you write something that doesn't completely
>> make sense until two paragraphs later, most people will accept that.
>> If you write something in chapter 2 that doesn't really make sense
>> until chapter 17... not good.
>
> Memento. Inception. Any suspense movie you care to name. ;-)
>
> I know what you mean, tho. I'm just teasing.
>
> What you need to learn is what's called "lies to children." You give
> just enough information to make chapter 2 make sense, even if that's
> wrong information. Then in chapter 17, you say "remember what I told you
> back in chapter 2? Well, you have to adjust it to account for this."
>
Mind, one needs to be careful with the "lies to children" approach. As a 
common practice it can often lead to underestimating the child (or 
adult, as the case may be), by assuming they are not going to understand 
it, and only manages to prove instead that you are the dumb one. 
Information can be simplified, and it made clear that it is being 
simplified, so its understandable at that point, without necessarily 
giving out "wrong information", which will either a) be the last thing 
they bother reading on the subject, b) confuse them later, when they do 
read the real explanation, or c) lead to misinterpretation of other 
things, that *appear* to be related, based on the false explanation.

We especially need to avoid too many more people in public 
service/office with affliction (a). lol

-- 
void main () {
   If Schrödingers_cat is alive or version > 98 {
     if version = "Vista" {
       call slow_by_half();
       call DRM_everything();
     }
     call functional_code();
   }
   else
     call crash_windows();
}

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