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.
At 06:27 PM 7/30/97 -0500, Dan Wise wrote:
>I read a lot of messages giving advice on the production of manuals in sizes
>other than 8.5 x 11. But I don't think I saw anyone ask the question *why?*
>
If the question is "Why are there page sizes smaller than 8.5 x 11?" then I
think we know the reason why. IBM wanted to make it hard to pirate SW and
documentation and settled on the 7 x 9 inch format to make it more difficult
to copy the manuals. Like everything IBM did in those days, it became a
"standard" and we've been living with it ever since.
--Wayne
---------------------------------------------
Wayne Douglass phone: 408-542-2139
Verity, Inc. FAX: 408-542-2040
894 Ross Road mailto:wayned -at- verity -dot- com
Sunnyvale, CA 94089 http://www.verity.com
"Connecting People With Information"
---------------------------------------------
TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html
