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Re: Fw: Why do we put so many warnings in our manuals?
Subject:Re: Fw: Why do we put so many warnings in our manuals? From:"Cheri Kelln-Smith" <ckelln -at- email -dot- fleming -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 30 Jul 2002 17:22:21 -0500
Just to clarify - I put "a lot" in there just for that reason. Hell, I think 30-40% is a lot. I know not all of us (in the genX category or otherwise) are greedy, dumb, or whatever. It has just been my experience that a lot of my peers (not friends or people I "hang out" with necessarily) are greedy and such.
Also, I didn't say I wasn't greedy. Even though I would probably never pursue one of the lawsuits that have been discussed today, I consider myself greedy at times.
Just because I am cynical at times doesn't mean I hate all of humankind. I am generally the person who gets along with everybody.
As for getting back to warnings in manuals - You are right, and (on top of everything else) I think if every base was covered in every manual, they could become quite lengthy.
Two of my fellow "Generation Xers" wrote:
> It's really bad with my generation (genX). There's this sense
> that we should be able to do whatever we want and not take on
> the consequences of those actions.
and
> Greed makes up the mindset of a lot of our lazy Generation X.
Urgh. Please, let's not generalize like this. There's something grating about
the "[category of people I belong to] are really [derogatory description],
except, of course, for me" theme. I see it on Slashdot a lot, and it seems to be
emerging in here today.
Some people are foolish/greedy/selfish/whatever--whatever their age, gender, or
geographical location. I doubt that any particular group has a monopoly on these
traits. And if you (the generic you, not just the folks quoted above) think that
the majority of the people you know are mean, dumb, and unscrupulous, I really
have to wonder where you're hanging out. Most of the people I know are pretty
decent. Ask yourself: why the misanthropy?
It would be a stretch to tie this back to tech writing--we've veered off the
path--but... it seems like "Why do we put so many warnings in our manuals" is a
recurring theme that, for some writers, boils down to " 'cause users are
idiots." If we start thinking that way, watch out, because that hostility will
seep into our writing.
Snorky snorky.
Christine
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