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Re: Chattiness in manuals

Subject: Re: Chattiness in manuals
From: "John Cook" <john -dot- cook -at- gmail -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 12:38:39 -0500

On 10/17/06, Liz_Vela -at- bcbstx -dot- com <Liz_Vela -at- bcbstx -dot- com> wrote:

I can't think of any user who reads manuals for fun. I'd leave out any
chatty remarks and make it short and to the point.



Liz

When I read what I needed to know from The BeOS Bible, I went on and
read the rest of it for fun, but that was a literally unique case.
Hacker's book was charmingly original, doing things that I'd never be
able to get away with, and making it look effortless.

There is a difference between 'casual' and 'chatty'. I have enjoyed
the former in some rare occasions. I have never enjoyed the latter.
Many instances of 'chattiness' do little except reveal how an author
is in love with their own cleverness.

Scot Hacker's genius was that he was apparently oblivious to how
clever he really was. His writing was clear, concise, and casual. I
think it is a truism that if you think you are being clever, you
aren't. At that point, you may as well settle on brevity and clarity.

imo, ymmv,

--
John Cook
Technical Writer / Help Author
john dot cook at gmail dot com
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References:
RE: Chattiness in manuals: From: Melissa Nelson
RE: Chattiness in manuals: From: Liz_Vela

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