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.
Subject:Re: Universal Symbol for "Read The Manual" From:"Steven J. Owens" <puff -at- NETCOM -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 26 Feb 1999 18:09:54 -0800
Barry Kieffer writes:
> A few weeks ago a program manager asked me if a triangle with an exclamation
> mark inside it was the universal symbol for "Read the manual".
> Unfortunately it is not, I had to inform him.
> That got me to thinking: What is the universal symbol for "Read the manual"?
> If there is not a universal symbol, let me submit the following: [...]
>
> Any other ideas out there?
Well, my personal preference would be Wally peeking over the top of
a cubicle, standing on a stack of manuals (see below :-).
One of my favorite classics was from an Atria source code control
system (now PureAtria, last I checked, after Atria was bought by the
Pure Software (makers of Purify for C programming) folks). The
package came with a bright red sheet of paper. Most of the sheet was
covered with a big black spherical "Bomb" with a lit fuse and below
it, in words an inch high, "read this first!"
Steven J. Owens
puff -at- netcom -dot- com
Dogbert's Technical Support Line:
"Hm, I think I see the problem.
Stack all of the manuals on your chair.
Now stand on top of them.
Now shout 'Does anybody know how to read a manual?'"