Intentionally Left Blank--Right!

["Chas. Bosdet" <WLFTRIX -at- AOL -dot- COM>]

On 95-03-15, Barry_West -dot- S2K -at- INTERNET -dot- S2K -dot- COM wrote:

> As a Techwriter who started his career writing to Mil Specs, "This Page
> Intentionally Left Blank" was a device we used because the spec told us to
> (along with restricted verb lists). <snip> I have always looked upon this
as our way
> of not so subtly letting readers know that we think some of them may be
stupid.
> However, I have never [encountered] a user who [w]as ... confused
> over a blank page at the end of a chapter.

Actually, the use of these pages may be related to standard practice for
classified
government documents:  It isn't always easy to tell that you're at the end
of the chapter in documents that are page-numbered by chapter and revised
through the use of change pages .  Since the holder of a classified document
is
accountable for every single page, there's a certain comfort in knowing all
pages
are accounted for -- comfort for both the document holder and administrator.

And when it came to publishing classified material, it really helped to
*know*
that a page was blank intentionally -- not because the pasted-up text fell
onto the floor somewhere (or into someone's briefcase) during the production
process.

Once upon a time I, too, thought the "intentionally left blank" business was
silly.
Not any more.

Just my 2 cents.

Chas.