Re: "always read and follow the instructions"

["Susan W Gallagher" <susanwg -at- gmail -dot- com>]

Idunno if I see any practicality in the statement other than CYA. <g>
Presumably, if the user opens the book, it would be to read the instructions
so the admonition is moot. If the user doesn't open the book, what good does
putting the admonition in the book do? The user won't see it. No?
-Sue Gallagher



On 6/3/08, Milan Davidovic <milan -dot- lists -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:
>
> When I see a statement in a manual such as "Always read and follow the
> instructions in this manual", two thoughts come to mind:
>
> - Following the instructions in the manual (i.e. the ones actually in
> the manual, not the instructions you imagine) presupposes having
> learned them, so the direction to "read" them is redundant.
> - Telling someone to "do x" with no qualifiers provides no options,
> so the modifier "always" is redundant.
>
> Do you think "always read and follow the instructions" is likely to be
> more effective than "follow the instructions"? Do you think it depends
> on the context?
>
>
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