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Technical Writing Rant

Author	Topic
Kady Mae Junior Member USA 261 Posts	Posted - 14 Apr 2002 : 08:40:06 As you all know here, I, uh ... "swing both ways" when it comes to computers. A lot of people think that the problems they have with Mordorsoft are because Mordorsoft software utterly bad. I don't think so ... er, well, not always. I think that incompetent technical writing is to blame at least 60% of the time for problems with Mordorsoft's OSes. Techincal writing is a passion with me. I took a graduate level tech writing course, and I was assigned to write a manual instucting people how to use the digital microform scanners. One of the comments I hear quite often is , "Wow! It was just like the manual said it would be. All I had to do was read the book and look at the pictures and it was exactly that way on the computer." Patrons and staff are genuinely pleasantly surprised that they can just read the manual and actually get the computer and scanner to work. In this household we have 2 digital cameras that connect to the PC. One will probably hook up to the iBook, the other will probably never get hooked up to the iBook (and that's a shame.) Camera #1 is a $700 Olympus Camedia C30. Camera #2 is a $50 Intel webshot. Camera #1 uses a custom shaped USB plug. Camera #2 uses a standard USB plug. Camera #1 has 2 35 page long manuals printed in 4 languages. Camera #2 has a single folded sheet printed in 4 languages. Camera #2's software installed just like the folded sheet said it would, and downloading pictures to its easy to use, versitle, and frankly nifty software is a snap. It also functions as a webcam, and I can teleconference with it, and also take some stills with it while it's pluged in. My little blue and white Intel camera is the coolest $50 computer gizmo I've ever bought. And, the camera and software work just like the instructions say they will. It really sucks that there will never be Mac drivers for this camera. Camera #1's book of instructions had me shaking with rage. After 45 minutes of futzing around, and installing the drivers 4 times, I still couldn't get the computer to find the camera and download the images. I re read the manual yet again with my "this must be crappy tech writing hat" on. If you ever get an Olympus Camedia camera and plan to hook it up to a PC, please note that Page 5 really should come first. If you follow the instructions on page 5 and then do what it says on pages 3 and 4, your camera will be detected and install, and while the software is not as easy to use as "Chipzilla's" it's not that bad. I'll experement with hooking it to the iBook, but I don't have my hopes up. Not only have I established that the manual contains inferior technial writing, but all the instructions and software talk about "Mac OS 9.04". This is a camera I bought for christmas. No OS X instructions or drivers. Uh, duh? Hello? Mac has only made it clear that they're moving to OS X for the past 2 years? I hate bad technical writing. 68K's liberated: 0 68Ks adopted to loving homes: 2 PowerMacs adopted: 1
Trash80toG-4 NIGHT STALKER USA 2899 Posts	Posted - 14 Apr 2002 : 09:19:34 quote: As you all know here, I, uh ... "swing both ways" when it comes to computers.? LOL! i'v been using almost that exact same phrasing for YEARS! quote: I hate bad technical writing. the only thing worse is bad technical EDITING! ge that as it may, i ran across a great article on technical writing while googling info on the mcdonalds coffee case in an unplugged thread. clusterf%$@ is more like it! check it out: http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/archives/9903/techwhirl-9903-00669.html jt ™. .
alpaca2500 Junior Member USA 102 Posts	Posted - 14 Apr 2002 : 16:00:22 quote: A lot of people think that the problems they have with Mordorsoft are because Mordorsoft software utterly bad. what is mordorsoft? (i know what you mean, but why can't people call things by their names?) Performa 630 Quadra 610 LCIII SE
maclover5 LC Doctor/Hot Rodder Australia 5830 Posts	Posted - 14 Apr 2002 : 18:10:49 quote: (i know what you mean, but why can't people call things by their names?) Because its fun. -------------------------- Pizzabox LCs RULE!!!!!!! Warrior maclover5 68k Macintosh Liberation Army Number of 68ks Liberated: 6!!! QFW68KPB Project SUCCESS!!!!!
Trash80toG-4 NIGHT STALKER USA 2899 Posts	Posted - 14 Apr 2002 : 18:21:54 quote: quote: (i know what you mean, but why can't people call things by their names?) Because its fun. and in the case of the dark lord bill and his evil minions, it's derisive too! jt ™. .
~Coxy Leader, Tactical Ops Unit Australia 2822 Posts	Posted - 14 Apr 2002 : 19:48:54 And derisivation of M$ and their evil minions is what we do best! ~Coxy - Leader, Tactical Operations Unit 00014 Macs liberated
danamania Official 68k Muse Australia 1193 Posts	Posted - 14 Apr 2002 : 21:52:21 quote: A lot of people think that the problems they have with Mordorsoft are because Mordorsoft software utterly bad. I don't think so ... er, well, not always. I think that incompetent technical writing is to blame at least 60% of the time for problems with Mordorsoft's OSes. First off - I certainly don't think all-things-MS are bad either. If I were to use a wordprocessor on one of my 68k's, Word 5 would be it. It does work, an work nicely. W6 is another story entirely, and I could rant a little about it too, but I won't :) As for the writing part, I agree there too, having worked where it was absolutely -essential-. I was part of the technical support team for the NSW Department of Education (NSW is the state of Australia that holds Sydney, for anyone who needs a basic idea :). We often had rollouts of software to around 2250 schools, and while often it went smooth and the only problems were caused by misunderstandings or truly noncomputerliterate users (a totally different species to 'morons' which were sent to frustrate me!), often the instructions send out were disgusting. Installs would have went better -without- any guides, compared to some of what was delivered. A document that starts "log in with the password given" then proceeds in the wrong order was one of the worst. Which login? a mac? pc? school admin system? the fileserver? a curriculum server? which password?. There was no hint on that, merely a presumption that it was obvious where all was meant to go and the guides were there to provide extra toilet paper in case you ran out. Tech Support sometimes had some brilliant moments - when almost non computer-literate people came up with the most resourceful fixes to little problems. It gave me faith in people in general :D. And then there are the morons... :D dana

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