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.
In the last few days, I've been documenting a Web-based interface to a new
computer system. Some client representatives in the building have been
requesting changes daily, and I've been running behind the parade trying to
keep my documents current.
Yesterday one request was to change a reference to a report output. The
report can be sent to a printer, or to display on the screen. They changed
"screen" to "window," and when I wrote about directing the output to a
window, I gave into temptation.
First, I made a straight version of the document and submitted it. Then I
made another version that said "Choosing the window option will require you
to fold the paper along the pattern shown below." Then I put in a little
graphic showing the fold lines to make a paper airplane. I showed it to my
manager, who didn't get it at first, and got all excited about "They can't
say window because the window doesn't open until they request the report..."
But he finally did get the joke.
If you knew the end users, you'd understand. They really would send it out
the window.
- A
_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp
A landmark hotel, one of America's most beautiful cities, and
three and a half days of immersion in the state of the art:
IPCC 01, Oct. 24-27 in Santa Fe. http://ieeepcs.org/2001/
+++ Miramo -- Database/XML publishing automation. See us at +++
+++ Seybold SFO, Sept. 25-27, in the Adobe Partners Pavilion +++
+++ More info: http://www.axialinfo.comhttp://www.miramo.com +++
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
