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.
The excellent illustrations that are in the service manuals for my 1992
and 1993 Dodge trucks are nearly always drawings and not photos, and
always show the correct POV, sometimes instructing the mechanic on how
the close-up's POV is different from that of the wider view. Even arrows
to show the POV's rotation. Someone at Chrysler, 20 or 30 years ago, had
a good understanding of some of the finer aspects of technical
documentation. I enjoy just sitting down and flipping through the pages
of those books!
It would have been nice, though, if they had included into the
instructions on how to install the TPS (throttle-position sensor) the
advice that you have to calibrate it, and that if you fail to calibrate
it, you should not toss it out as defective and install yet another.
Indeed, if there appears to be a TPS failure, FIRST recalibrate the TPS
before replacing it at $300 a pop.
The damned TPS /does/ wear out, though, and much too soon. The
electrical noise from a worn TPS causes terribly erratic shifting. It's
just a 10K carbon-film pot with a bronze wiper, I'm sure. Well, I
replaced mine with two 5k resistors in series, leaving the TPS reading
permanently at "midway". Total cost? $1.98 at Radio Shack. Oops, they're
now calling it "The Shack." Marketing problems? Change the 80-year-old
name of the company. And shifting? I use the "overdrive off" button as
needed. Why didn't I go for manual transmissions in the first place?
Bill Swallow wrote:
> Yep. I question the usefulness of instructions about replacing a brake
> light on the car written from the headlight-facing POV.
>
> 1. Orient the reader.
> 2. Instruct.
>
> On Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 1:34 PM, <techwr -at- genek -dot- com> wrote:
>> I prefer to use the POV the reader is most likely to have in actual use. On a workbench, that's usually facing the panel in question directly, but in an actual installation one might easily be looking at it over the top, upside-down. Field service can be fun that way...
>>
>> Gene Kim-Eng
>
Gain access to everything you need to create and publish information
through multiple channels. Your choice of authoring (and import)
formats with virtually any output. Try Doc-To-Help free for 30-days. http://www.doctohelp.com/
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
