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Warning in a manual: All cooper signals input/output must be connected
to the defibrillated approved connectors of approved medical equipment only.
Nancy Allison wrote:
> Nominations are now open for the Idiotic Tech Writing Prize for January,
> 2009. I've made it up this instant and I think it's a good idea.
>
> My submission:
>
> Symptom:
>
> Cannot begin a test; the test set trips, with an overcurrent error
> message
>
> Solution:
>
> 1. Isolate the cause by restarting a test after alternately:
>
> ----Disconnecting the high-voltage test cable from the instrument
>
> ----Disconnecting the high-voltage test cable from the specimen (but
> still connected to the instrument)
>
>
> *********
> CAUTION!! Avoid personal contact with the high-voltage test cable
> CAUTION!! while it is connected to the instrument. Death or
> severe injury is an imminent risk.
> *********
>
> [\End submission]
>
> As we know, NOBODY reads procedures to the end before starting them. So,
> following this idiotic procedure in order, the reader restarts a test
> and then realizes he needs to disconnect the high voltage cable from the
> instrument. How he interprets the word "alternately" is anyone's guess.
>
> One way or another, he disconnects the high voltage cable from the
> instrument. If he survives, maybe he goes to the next bullet, or maybe
> he restarts the test. Maybe at this point he notices the dire warning
> telling him not to do what he has just done.
>
> Or maybe heâs already dead and doesnât care.
>
> By the way, how do you disconnect a cable while avoiding personal
> contact with it?
>
> And now, your turn! If you need to look something up from years past,
> never fear, I'm keeping this contest open for at least a week.
>
> The winner gets a rousing cheer!
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ComponentOne Doc-To-Help 2009 is your all-in-one authoring and publishing
solution. Author in Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word or
HTML and publish to the Web, Help systems or printed manuals. http://www.doctohelp.com
Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
authors and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write
once, publish to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control! http://www.helpandmanual.com/
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