Does a writer need to know Java or C++ if not writing API documentation?
I spend a good portion of the course on object-oriented thinking, mixed with what it turns into in C++ or Java. Anyone (including non-tech writers) who wants to be solid in those terms we hear tossed around (class versus instance/object, encapsulation, overloading, interface, functions, methods, arguments, variables…) would benefit greatly from from this course. Past students have reported they now have a clue what programmers are saying to each other in meetings and in some cases have been able to contribute ideas. Though the writer’s job might not include API documentation and thus require no knowledge of code or coding practices, the writer may benefit tremendously from learning such concepts. In my experience, relations with programmers are better when they recognize I know what I’m talking about.
