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Re: NASA Technical Documentation WAS RE: An urban legend regarding documentation?
Subject:Re: NASA Technical Documentation WAS RE: An urban legend regarding documentation? From:Goober Writer <gooberwriter -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 13 Nov 2003 12:03:31 -0800 (PST)
> Seriously, though, this thread does highlight how
> narrowly many of us look
> at the field (fields?) of technical communication.
> What would be
> appropriate in a documentation set for a software
> can be simply ludicrous
> in another context, just as a single warning
> statement (regardless of
> whether it would be set off with a bold sideheading
> in print or bright red
> flashing text, if you're in HTML) would hardly be a
> reasonable method for
> conveying a risk of such magnitude.
Amen brother!
I would find it extremely humorous to find that a
launch operations manual/checklist would have a
warning like that in it. No, the technical
specifications for the o-rings would need to blatantly
cite the optimal conditions for use as well as
performance degradation in differing conditions.
I find it absurd that a removed/unheeded warning would
cause such a catastrophe, and I certainly dont't think
that 99.5% of us (myself included) have any clue
whatsoever as to what goes into the technical
specifications, operations, launch details,
checklists, and any other documentation used in the
construction, planning, launch, operation, re-entry,
and disaster recovery of a space shuttle.
Ain't it sumpthin' how we can all drone on and on over
stuff we know nothing about, and when a real tech
writing issue (not a tool one, as that leads into holy
wars) hits the list, it almost goes unnoticed?
I think it's hysterical!
=====
Goober Writer
(because life is too short to be inept)
"As soon as you hear the phrase "studies show",
immediately put a hand on your wallet and cover your groin."
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