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Subject:Re: Information Mapping - V From:Tony Rocco <tony_rocco -at- NAVIS -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 27 Jun 1996 14:55:46 U
RE>>Information Mapping - V 6/27/96
Yes, it is entertaining. You wrote it well. I wasn't criticizing your
writing, just the use of it certain contexts. Incidentally, I am lightened
up. I am not taking this as seriously as you think. Thanks.
--------------------------------------
Date: 6/27/96 14:51
To: Tony Rocco
From: mjwing -at- ingr -dot- com
>----------
>From: Tony Rocco[SMTP:tony_rocco -at- navis -dot- com]
>Sent: Thursday, June 27, 1996 9:21 AM
>To: Wing, Michael J; Multiple recipients of list TEC
>Subject: Re: Information Mapping - V
> RE>>Information Mapping - VCR
>6/27/96
>I would not want to write a sys admin reference in the manner you
>suggest
>here. Your style is great for the intended audience, but as I mentioned
>previously, most audiences are not technophobic dunces, as you assume
>the
>typical VCR user is.
Lighten up Tony. Where did I advocate using the procedure (If anyone,
as a result of my last post, is using this manner now -- Please
Stop!!). It was an example of how I perceived the philosophy that
Technical Writers should write more entertainingly. I only seemingly
assumed that the audience was "dummies" in the second procedure, the
first was straight-forward.
By the way, despite the "dummied-down" approach, was it entertaining?
Mike Wing
>_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
>_/
>_/ Michael Wing
>_/ Principal Technical Writer
>_/ Jupiter Customization and Educational Services
>_/ Intergraph Corporation
>_/ 730-7250
>_/ mjwing -at- ingr -dot- com
>_/
>--------------------------------------
>Date: 6/27/96 14:04
>To: Tony Rocco
>From: mjwing -at- INGR -dot- COM
>>
>>> In making his case that technical writing is not and should not be
>>> entertaining Bill Hartzer says:
>>
>>>> "If Technical Writing was entertaining
>>>> reading, 99 percent of Americans would know how to program their VCRs!"
>>
>>> That's exactly the point Bill; if user manuals weren't so deadly dull,
dry
>>> and unimaginative, if they better served the needs of the user, people
>>>would
>>>know how to program their VCRs.
>>
>Okay, let's try two procedures for setting the VCR timer.
>Procedure 1
>1) Press the PROG button (located at the far left of the control panel)
> The Program Menu displays.
>2) Press the "^" button until the Clock Set menu item highlights.
>3) Press Enter
> The Time Set displays as follows:
> 12:00
>4) In sequence, enter in the correct time from the numeric keypad
>(located directly to the right of the PROG button).
>5) Press 1 for A.M. or 2 for P.M on the numeric keypad.
>6) Press Enter
> The time is set
>Procedure 2 (Get rid of that annoying blink)
>We are now entering the mysterious world of VCR programming.
>1) Press the PROG button (one of those buttons that you always wondered
>about).
> Presto! The Program Menu appears.
>2) Press the "^" button. Trust me, it won't mess up a thing. Keep
>pressing until the Clock Set item is highlighted. (You can stop
>pressing now)
>3) Press Enter
> Whoa, what happened to the screen? It says that it's 12:00.
>Don't
>fret, that's the
> annoying 12:00 that has been blinking since you bought the VCR.
>4) Check your watch (you did change the batteries, didn't you?) and use
>the numeric keypad (and you thought it was a calculator) to enter the
>current time. Hurry or the time will no longer be current.
>5) Press 1 for A.M. or 2 for P.M on the numeric keypad. Check outside
>to determine if it is before or after noon.
>Note: By the way, I have no idea whether 12:00 is A.M. or P.M. Best
>just to wait another minute.
>6) Press Enter
> The blink has stopped and you're now a genius.
>Obviously, my entertaining procedure is extreme; however, this is what
>comes to mind when someone says we must be entertaining. Please, feel
>free to modify either example to show me the difference between dull,
>entertaining, and cutesy.
>Mike Wing
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