“Learn to Use Your Tools”

Though I don't often mention it here, I edit a quarterly newsletter. I've been doing newsletters (and other such things) since I was in high school.

One issue has been a constant for that entire time: the people who write the articles don't know how to use word processors or text editors.

Do they need to create a table-like layout? They separte the columns with spaces instead tabs. Those few who actually use tabs don't set tab stops, so one row will have 3 tabs between the first and second columns, but the next line will have four... then two, then one, then five, etc., etc., etc.

Creating a two column list of descriptions and values, like an itemized invoice? Don't type a zillion periods to line up the second column! Again, set a tab stop. Most word processors will let you specify a fill character for a tab stop, so it can automatically fill the space with periods and the values on the right will all line up perfectly. Later, if you need to move something, you only need to change the tab stop instead of adding or remove periods on every single line.

I receive twenty-five or thirty articles for each edition of this newsletter, and every one of them has a different problem. I actually prefer the ones that are submitted as plain-text email. All I have to do is unwrap them, and (if there's any sort of table) write a regular expression to replace the spaces with tabs.

You'd think that I'd be used to it after fifteen years, but I'm not. At least 50% of the time I spend on a publication is just cleaning up the junk that people submit (including pictures, but I'll save that rant for another time).

This same rant applies to everything in life, I guess. Some people know that learning how to use a tool correctly can save an incredible amount of time and produce a better result. Most, though, don't (appear to) like to think about much of anything. "Why think about a better way, when I'm already able to do it this way?" Ugh.