It's all over techcomms too: GML / Scribe aaalllllll the way to DocBook, then DITA and S1000D. And people run to adopt those thick specs, in spite of there bein

It's all over techcomms too: GML / Scribe aaalllllll the way to DocBook, then DITA and S1000D. And people run to adopt those thick specs, in spite of there being zero supporting data that they in any way reduce cost . . or do anything useful[1] at all. Watch that adjective "useful". I see it as Scientist/Technician vs Prophet/Priest. These two pairs are solutions to a problem: the world isn't doing what I say. They can both work, or at least do better than random. The difference is that the former can explain why, and the latter can't. The cool thing about not explaining? It makes the Prophet the only person who can evaluate the work. They have vision into the solution, and it appears only to them. The bad thing about Prophets? If you've quantified the solution, then it can be falsified and replicated. Wait a second . . how hard can it be to quantify a solution? It's actually really hard - particularly in things like natural language (tech comms) and visual arts (yes, front end is viz art, FIGHT ME :D). Some industries have blown up their prophets to such towering heights that they will set fire to clients and money and any other quantitative measure of value . . all in search of that One Truth (content re-use and so-called "single sourcing", I am looking at you, but I'm not even going to tease the elephant in the room that is AS9100) People in insecure positions will always seek to turn their Technician position into a Priest position, even if they need to find some Prophet to cling to. And eventually, they might get a chance to be a Prophet too. It's like an MLM for your mind. [1] "Structured content is the future!" Oh, is it now? How's that been working out for you last checks watch twenty years? "Hierarchical organizations are required for finding stuff!" Do you know, I think I remember the Internet Outline google publishes ever second /s. Ah, "useful".