Oh! But he was a stubborn man, set in his ways, Scrooge! Despite the advances in technical publications, he dug in his heels at every turn, refusing to adapt his approach for new media and more savvy users. As solitary as an oyster, he kept to himself day after day, alone at his desk, mumbling to himself about Oxford commas, title case in headings, and the demise of the index. He selfishly hoarded his hard-won information gathered from subject matter experts, the thought of sharing with his peers never even crossing his mind. And certainly, no one ever approached him to Implore him to bestow a trifle, be it information or advice. In fact, when his co-workers saw him coming, they would scurry back to their cubicles, as one might duck into an entryway to avoid a bitter wind or pelting rain.
One day, near the Christmas shutdown, old Scrooge sat busy in his cubicle when he was interrupted by a cheerful voice. “Good news! We’re moving to DITA.” It was the voice of his young colleague Bob Cratchit. “Bah!” said Scrooge. “Humbug!”
“I do,” said Scrooge. “What else can I think when I live in such a world of fools as this? DITA, indeed. What’s DITA but another passing fad? An empty promise of better documentation with less effort? An extremely lengthy list of complex rules and elements that severely tie the hands of the technical writer in doing the job that he has always done?”