Oops!

Eddie - thanks for commenting. Interesting to hear my post struck a chord with you.
All the best
Alistair

Woh, that\'s a good one! OK, forget both of the methods I described above - this is a much better way of doing it. Thanks Graham. Top top!!!

Didn\'t know Linux users had to use an old version of Skype. Maybe Microsoft will fix that!
;-)

Rose - As a blogger (albeit a when-I-find-the-time/inclination blogger) I sometimes fall into the habit of thinking that most tech writers probably do write blogs. However, when I think about how many people mention a blog on their CV/resume, I'm convinced blogging is very much a minority pursuit, even amongst tech writers. I like blogging and podcasting and I intend to do more of it, if I can stop myself taking it too seriously, but nobody should feel they *have* to have a blog. Tech writers who like their jobs, by definition, like writing, so they tend to continue writing in their free time. But that doesn't have to be a blog. Plenty of tech writers spend time writing short stories, poetry, diaries, magazine articles, open source documentation, Wikipedia entries, answers on StackOverflow ... and (although I have no personal evidence of this) I'd like to think that there are people, somewhere, who still spend time writing letters. You definitely don't need to blog: as I've proved over the last few months!

Hi Gordon. Good to hear from a real blogger. Thanks for commenting.

You're a man of much web output - don't know how you do it! As a long-time reader of what's now http://www.onemanblogs.co.uk (as well as http://www.onemanwrites.co.uk/) I know that you do certainly write what you want. I often marvel at your candour as well as the calibre of your thoughts on tech writing. Hats off to you!

Thanks for commenting Jon.

BTW I liked your blog post on what you need for an online learning solution: I need to know more about that. I've heard good & bad things about Moodle. I must find some time to get to know it better.

I like your attitude! Thanks for commenting.

I'm not sure about this. If I were employing gold-diggers I'd prefer to have a guy who some weeks delivered nothing but two or three times a year brought in a 100-ounce nugget, rather than a guy who delivered an ounce a day regular as clockwork, but never anything bigger. This sounds like a silly comparison, but I know people (particularly programmers) who are sometimes difficult, unconventional characters but nevertheless, when you really need an expert, or a flash of brilliance, always come up with the goods. Those guys are truly worth their weight in gold.

So I'd say, yes - to a degree - hours are important, but not as important as getting things done. And I'm not convinced a habit of long hours is the best way to get things done - although some people might find it an effective way of convincing incompetent management that they're a "real hard worker".

Going to the length of creating a spreadsheet to prove to yourself you worked your 8 hours seems like extreme guilt. I completely understand.
:-)

However, I wonder how I'd use it those days I'm in the office, where I spend quite a lot of time on the social bookmarks around the stuff that's undeniable "work" - e.g. chatting before and after a meeting. I think it's tough to demand more full-on, break-free work of ourselves when we work remotely than we're okay with when we're working in the office.