Idiotic Tech Writing Prize

[Nancy Allison <maker -at- verizon -dot- net>]

Nominations are now open for the Idiotic Tech Writing Prize for January, 
2009. I've made it up this instant and I think it's a good idea.

My submission:

Symptom:

Cannot begin a test; the test set trips, with an overcurrent error 
message

Solution:

1. Isolate the cause by restarting a test after alternately:

----Disconnecting the high-voltage test cable from the instrument

----Disconnecting the high-voltage test cable from the specimen (but 
still connected to the instrument)


*********
CAUTION!!     Avoid personal contact with the high-voltage test cable
CAUTION!!     while it is connected to the instrument. Death or
                      severe injury is an imminent risk.
*********

  [\End submission]

As we know, NOBODY reads procedures to the end before starting them. So, 
following this idiotic procedure in order, the reader restarts a test 
and then realizes he needs to disconnect the high voltage cable from the 
instrument. How he interprets the word "alternately" is anyone's guess.

One way or another, he disconnects the high voltage cable from the 
instrument. If he survives, maybe he goes to the next bullet, or maybe 
he restarts the test. Maybe at this point he notices the dire warning 
telling him not to do what he has just done.

Or maybe heâs already dead and doesnât care.

By the way, how do you disconnect a cable while avoiding personal 
contact with it?

And now, your turn! If you need to look something up from years past, 
never fear, I'm keeping this contest open for at least a week.

The winner gets a rousing cheer!
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