TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
RE: Do people want a hard copy of the owners' manual for their car?
Subject:RE: Do people want a hard copy of the owners' manual for their car? From:"Sharon Burton" <sharon -at- anthrobytes -dot- com> To:"'Keith Hood'" <klhra -at- yahoo -dot- com>, <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>, "'VincentLatella'" <VINCENT -dot- LATELLA -at- saic -dot- com> Date:Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:59:14 -0700
When a magic light goes on in the Miata, I'm supposed to pull over, boot a
computer, load a CD, and see if the light is important? To set the clock at
daylight savings time, I boot a computer to find out how to reset the clock?
No. Cars are shrink wrap technology and the users need information in a
portable and easily available format. Silly car maker.
sharon
Sharon Burton
MadCap Software Product Consultant
Managing your content, one topic at a time
www.anthrobytes.com
951-369-8590
IM: sharonvburton -at- yahoo -dot- com
Twitter: sharonburton
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+sharon=anthrobytes -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+sharon=anthrobytes -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Keith Hood
Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 3:29 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com; VincentLatella
Subject: Re: Do people want a hard copy of the owners' manual for their car?
Speaking from experience, it's darn difficult to drag a monitor under the
car while you're torquing the last of the bell housing nuts.
--- On Tue, 9/22/09, Latella, Vincent <VINCENT -dot- LATELLA -at- saic -dot- com> wrote:
> From: Latella, Vincent <VINCENT -dot- LATELLA -at- saic -dot- com>
> Subject: Do people want a hard copy of the owners' manual for their car?
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2009, 3:10 PM
> I know that we've been through the
> whole "do you really need a printed
> manual" thing before on TECHWR-L, but at this very moment,
> presumably
> non-writer types are hashing out that very topic as it
> pertains to
> automobiles on The Truth About Cars:
>
>
>
>http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/ask-the-best-and-brightest-do-you-need-
> a-full-paper-owners-manual/
> <http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/ask-the-best-and-brightest-do-you-need
> -a-full-paper-owners-manual/>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Reading comments on the topic from random individuals
> (instead of
> technical writers) is interesting, I think, so I thought
> I'd share.
>
>
>
> For those who don't want to visit the website, the basic
> gist of it is
> this: Chrysler is apparently replacing its owners' manuals
> with DVDs and
> abridged printed guides, and there's a blog post about
> it. The poster
> indicates that he wants one "in the glovebox, in paper
> form, ready to
> go."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> The people posting comments seem divided. Here are a
> few excerpts:
>
>
>
> "Works for me... this leaves more space for useful
> [stuff]."
>
>
>
> "I'm glad I have it... when a rear tire blew I used it to
> find the jack
> and decipher the spare-tire-lowering mechanism."
>
>
>
> "So while at the arena at 11:30 on a minus 20 degree night,
> and I need
> to know (at a glance) which blown fuse controls whatever,
> I'll just
> power up my laptop and scroll through the pdf owner's
> manual. Genius.
> Why's Chrysler in the situation it's in again?"
>
>
>
> [In response to the comment above:]
>
> "FYI - Typically, the back cover of the fuse box has a
> diagram of which
> fuse controls what function....no need for the manual."
>
>
>
> "I don't see any problem with it. Chrysler's website lets
> you can
> download the manual free of charge, so those who feel the
> need could
> always just print a copy themselves."
>
>
>
> "Going forward an iPhone/blackberry app and access via URL
> from a
> smartphone should do the trick. No reason the manual
> shouldn't be
> available at [URL]"
>
>
>
> "Not that the printed material is correct most of the time
> anyway.
> Speaking on the documents for my Government-Motors CTS, the
> full-printed
> manual and the quick start guide have a few inconsistencies
> (and
> wrong/incorrect information) on how to do certain things.
> Duh.
>
> But, I'd rather have the printed than the DVD, I can go
> through the
> former at my own pace as opposed to slow, tortuous DVD
> instructional
> videos."
>
>
>
> "I looked at the owner's manual of my '07 Accord just a few
> weeks ago,
> to find out how the heck to change one of the headlight
> bulbs.
>
> I want it in print, and not at the hand of my own printer
> which will be
> way too large."
>
>
>
> "I think to not print the owner's manual is an error in
> judgment on
> Chrysler's part. I'm surprised their legal department
> allowed it. With a
> DVD, third party equipment is required.
>
> Say someone puts in the wrong tranny fluid, damage is done,
> and a court
> claim is filed. To say it was in the lovely HD-DVD won't
> fly in front of
> judge and jury. Before, if someone used the wrong ATF,
> Chrysler could
> say 'But we put it in the manual so that wouldn't happen'.
> Now the onus
> is on them instead of the customer
>
> In a liability case it strengthens the plaintiff's cause,
> probably
> guaranteeing Chrysler to found liable. If none of their
> competitors are
> doing, there may be a good legal reason. Laws aren't
> recorded on paper
> just cause of tradition."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers
> developing Table of
> Contents, Context IDs, and Index, as well as
> Doc-To-Help
> 2009 tips, tricks, and best practices.
>http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/
>
> 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/
>
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as klhra -at- yahoo -dot- com -dot-
>
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/klhra%40yahoo.com
>
>
> To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>
> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
> Visit
>http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.
>
> Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
>http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat
>
>
Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers developing Table of
Contents, Context IDs, and Index, as well as Doc-To-Help
2009 tips, tricks, and best practices. http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/
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/
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as sharon -at- anthrobytes -dot- com -dot-
Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers developing Table of
Contents, Context IDs, and Index, as well as Doc-To-Help
2009 tips, tricks, and best practices. http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/
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/
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
