Tech Writer Aptitude Test (A Dream)

["Dimock, Dick" <red -at- ELSEGUNDOCA -dot- NCR -dot- COM>]

I had an eyeopener on this "Reading The Manual" topic recently.

My home CPU board had died, and I bought a neat new ma-board.

The two-page instruction leaflet said "Installation information is
given in the Installation manual on the enclosed CD-ROM." There
was the attractively packaged CD-ROM, and me with no machine
to read it. I cursed and fumed and threatened to call and complain.

The manufacturer gave an URL as an address.

I had to USE this manual. I wanted to read it -USE it, but couldn't.

But darned if that little 2-page leaflet didn't get me up and running!
It had one table of jumper info, and one pic of jumper and
connector locations, and that was *just--barely* enough.

RTFCD-ROM? Nope, never did. Never *had* to. I was probably
up and running sooner than if I had the manual to read. I am not
*happy with the experience: I may never buy their stuff again.

However, comma, I am truly appreciating the power of minimal
documentation!

Dick Dimock     Increasingly Minimalist Techwriter at
NCR Corp.               A Maximalist Organization in
El Segundo, CA   Rather above the Median, by the Deep Blue Sea


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