Re: Most illogical documentation

Subject: Re: Most illogical documentation
From: claireconant -at- comcast -dot- net (Claire Conant)
To: cupton -at- syclone -dot- net, techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:08:52 +0000

I have to come out of lurkdom for this one. Here's one:

You can view help information (this document) by selecting it from the main program's Help menu.
To view help information
- On the Help menu, click Help.


Presumably, since they don't print these docs, and they're only available to the end users through the help menu, this is a bit useless. Other people's opinions may vary.


Claire


-------------- Original message --------------
From: cupton -at- syclone -dot- net

> I once worked with someone who always included three tables in his
> installation manuals:
>
> - Standard Options
> - Optional Options
> - Custom Options
>
> TGIF
> Carolyn
>
> > This seems a Friday-ish topic for tech writers.
> >
> > What is the most illogical bit of tech writing you've seen?
> >
> > The earliest, and still one of the best, that I've come across was a
> > passage about how to open the box. You could only have opened the manual
> > if you had opened the packing box beforehand. (Manuals were not handed out
> > like candy by the sales people, either -- too expensive. So really,
> > honestly, if you were reading that page, you'd already opened the box.)
> >
> > It even had a picture of the flaps of the box being opened and an arrow
> > showing that the stuff had to come UP out of the TOP of the box, which is
> > where the flaps were OPEN.
> >
> > Naturally, I personally have never written anything quite that illogical,
> > not even under duress! I swear!
> >
> > --Nancy
> > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> >
> > Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
> > printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
> > Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
> > http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
> >
> > True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
> > Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
> > documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
> >
> > ---
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> >
> >
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> >
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> >
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
> printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
> Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
> http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
>
> True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
> Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
> documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
>
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as claireconant -at- comcast -dot- net -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/claireconant%40comcast.net
>
>
> 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.
>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

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