[Year 12 Its] Re: Internal documentation

[Charmaine Taylor]

In my view the technical documentation is a primary data source. The 
technical documentation is written for those who maintain or update the 
structure of the software application. In essence, it explains how the 
software works eg which procedures do what, what variables are used and 
why, and how to change these. The name or origin of the author is 
irrelevant: the fact that the document is supplied with the application 
and thus authorised by the producers specifies it as primary data.
I guess a means of distinction would be to ask "Is the information an 
interpretation of some fact/event that might be interpreted differently 
by another author with a different bias". Does that help?

I gather from the debate which admittedly I have not followed closely 
that some think the options must be one primary and one secondary data 
source. I believe they are both primary data sources. There seems to be 
confusion about mixing internal/external documentation and 
primary/secondary data sources - Its always a dangerous practice to mix 
your drinks!

Charmaine Taylor
Sunbury Downs College



Kevin Feely wrote:

> Hi Charmaine,
> Perhaps you  could clarify my problem with the 2004 Question
>
> i. The technical documentation of a software program
>
> From my viewpoint the answer would be primary if the actual 
> programmers or members of the actual project team, that put the 
> software together, wrote the technical documentation. As in an 
> autobiography - primary.
> But if the technical writing was outsourced (as is common) then it 
> would be secondary as the writers would have no direct knowledge of 
> the software, and would be going from details supplied to them.. As in 
> a biography - secondary.
>
> regards
> KevinF
>
> Charmaine Taylor wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>> There appear to be some problems with understandings of the meanings 
>> of words being used in both the threads running on primary v 
>> secondary data and internal v external documentation.
>> Rob's use of the terms primary and secondary seem to be in terms of 
>> use ie the farmer's purpose in using the weather chart is primary as 
>> it is his/her livelihood but for the beach trip this is of secondary 
>> importance to the family. However, the distinction between the 
>> classifications relates to the actual data itself rather than its 
>> purpose . The chart is a primary source as it is a record of logged 
>> data at a particular point in time and is presented as recorded. It 
>> hasn't been interpreted or re-worked from the original.
>>
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