# Instructions? I don't need no stinking instructions!



## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

It's funny.

I am a tech advisor at work.

I help customer with question regarding our products and how they install.

Time and time again, I have customers asking how something is to be installed, yet they have never look at the instructions.

And then there is me and probably a few of you.

I bought 4 USAT Streamliners a while back.

I pulled them out of the boxes and set them on the mantle above the fireplace and basically let them collect dust for a few months.

Finally on Saturday I installed a Kadee coupler on the front of the coach and decided to put them on the mainline and run them for a while.

Last night after it got dark, I went out and flipped the switches under the cars.

Upon powering up the train, I found that the Observation car only had the tail light lit up.

I figured something was wrong with the wiring.

So tonite I pick the observation car up and carry it to the operating (Dining room) table and set it upside down on a towel.

Low and behold, the switch on the bottom is a three position switch. 

Off, Tail light or tail light and interior.

Humm, if only I read the instructions.

Maybe next time I'll read the instructions?

Naw

Randy


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

I used to be emphatic about reading instructions. But over the last few years it seems that I have less patience for them, and I would rather someone show me, hands on. However, I don't think I am to blame in toto. I am 63 years old, and I believe that the instruction writers today are speaking from a newer version of English, if you can find it in the instructions. Obvious reason is that they are much younger and have learned "New-speak", a reference to George Orwell's "1984". I don't know if there is simply too much information given, or if I loose interest after reading the disclaimers, safety rules, how old you must be to operate this equipment, by which time I need to look at the item to refresh my memory as to what it is that I am reading about. Last year we had a new boiler installed. 96% efficient. Great! I can already see a huge saving over my old boiler. The problem is this one has a computer screen that I have yet to learn. Someday I will be able to adjust all kinds of settings, and maybe even figure out the mechanics of the boiler. the old one was an excellent model for it's time fifty years ago, and could operate without it's front cover in place. This one must be fully dressed or it will not work, a safety issue they say. Let me stop here before I bore you too much. I here you when you say you don't need no stinking instructions, just some common sense and a few good pictures would be more helpful.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Instructions? Ain't that the thing you sit your coffee cup or beer on while you work? 

Depends on what it is. I used the ones for my shed... stuff still didn't fit right. The pidgin Engrish ones are a lot of fun, too. And the ones that look like a novella because they are in 6 languages. 

Sadly, the ones you need are usually useless ---- either from too much info (so that the important stuff is lost in the dross) or not enough. 

The truly sad thing is, the more they try to idiot proof things, the more the idiots just evolve into more clever fools.... and it just confuses the rest of us


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

I spent over thirty years as a technical writer. Wrote manuals for Mack Trucks, Ingersoll Rand rock drills, N&W's computer center standards and policy manuals, and library automation software guides. I have actually had people tell me about "It says "Press Any key.' None of the keys on this keyboard say "Any'!" AND "You said I should format a dozen blank floppies, but I could only stuff ten into the drive!" Our motto at Mack Trucks was "When all else fails, read the instructions." Yeah, I know that the stuff being produced today is pretty bad. I'm so glad it's not my writing anymore. I still try to read the basics, but I agree that they are not as easy to plow through as they used to be. 

AND should anybody wonder, I'm not a technical writer any more BECAUSE I have too much experience. I have hit the "silver ceiling." Companies would rather hire a kid out of college with one or two years experience than pay for somebody who had made a career of technical writing. 

Yours, 
David Meashey


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Well it pays to read the instructions even if you think you know how to. Never try to out guess the manufacture. I've always read the instructions. Later RJD


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

We all want more "features" in life... one click to do this, talking cars, voice operated stuff. 

This all adds complexity, there's almost no way to add more features without more complexity, if nothing else because there are more choices. 

Like the 3 position switch instead of an on-off switch. You get an extra feature (to control the lights in more ways), so the on-off switch is replaced by an on-off-on switch. 

There's no end to it. The only thing I see coming is voice operation, so you can keep asking the computer questions until you get what you want. 

Greg


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## sailbode (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes, we all want more stuff, more control, more automation, etc.....untill it breaks and then we yearn for the "good ol days" when things were much simpler. There's a lot of merret it to K.I.S.S (keep it simple stupid).


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Posted By Mik on 25 Jan 2011 01:23 AM 
Instructions? Ain't that the thing you sit your coffee cup or beer on while you work? 

Depends on what it is. I used the ones for my shed... stuff still didn't fit right. The pidgin Engrish ones are a lot of fun, too. And the ones that look like a novella because they are in 6 languages. 

Sadly, the ones you need are usually useless ---- either from too much info (so that the important stuff is lost in the dross) or not enough. 

The truly sad thing is, the more they try to idiot proof things, the more the idiots just evolve into more clever fools.... and it just confuses the rest of us 







*Well said Mik







*


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## stevedenver (Jan 6, 2008)

Posted By aceinspp on 25 Jan 2011 11:16 AM 
Well it pays to read the instructions even if you think you know how to. Never try to out guess the manufacture. I've always read the instructions. Later RJD 

me too

it is amazing what you can learn beyond the bare simple operational functions
i read the manual for the BMW-and learned a lot of things i would not have known or figured out
likewise with my chain saw
likewise with my new fridge and freezer and convectionoven-all things that would seem to be idiot proof

theres amazing stuff to be learned



its how you avoid being an old fart too in terms of technology and tolerance and self discipline i think


there are so many varities of menus-it pays to take the time , learn em well, and then you get better at 'intuition'


otoh-one can tinker hoping to figure it out, and remebering how you got it to work

i have seen this in watches, video units, cameras, muscial devices from stereos to guitar and recording gear, etc etc



slow down and go fast


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

hehe

I can identify!

As a software developer, the qc guys are constantly demanding more and more complex features.

But then, they don't know how to work them. "Why is this required?"

"Because you demanded it."

The old Cylon's had a good line, "By your command." 
@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css);


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

And of course, the Tech Support guys have a name for people like you: RYFMs . Pronounced Rifms. Stands for Read Your F***ing Manual.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

The problems with many manuals is they are written by people for people who already know what they are doing.


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## tom h (Jan 2, 2008)

Tony that is very very well said, cracked me up.

Tom H


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

The least used things on PC's are the help files.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

SteveC. 
I absolutely agree. That is primarily because *they are written by people for..............* 

You need to already know the answer so you can ask the correct question.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Tony

That is but an excuse. The basics of succeeding in any endevor endeavor haven't changed, "those that want to will and those that don't won't."


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

I mightn't be too wise with computers but at least I can spell endeavour correctly.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Go Tony!


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

as for the Help Files, in over 15 years of using PCs, I've never once had Help actually help me. It's a total waste of hard drive space.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Ah yes, the mark of a true gentleman.

However, it does further the point that even a lowly high school drop-out, with but a mere GED acquired while serving in his county's armed service, can become proficient in the use of computers. Which means just about anybody willing to spend the time and expend the effort can also.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By rlvette on 26 Jan 2011 05:17 AM 
as for the Help Files, in over 15 years of using PCs, I've never once had Help actually help me. It's a total waste of hard drive space. Randy

For close to thirty years of continuous employment I made a really good salary because of people with that mind-set.


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Actually, I have been successfully using the Help files for Word a lot recently. I recently got a new computer with Windows 7, and the new version of Word does certain things, that I used to be familiar with, quite differently from the old version. So far I have had pretty good success at finding out how to do these changed functions in the new Word. 

David Meashey


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey Dave,

Just curious, since you did tech writing for a living, what was the average grade level to which the tech manuals you were involved with written to?


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Steve; 

I started at Mack Trucks in 1973. We wrote to a 7th grade level there. (Actually, several of our technical writers at Mack were really mechanics who could express themselves well by the written word.) The library automation software company probably tried for a 12th grade level on most products. The Micro-VTLS product was used by untrained staffers in many public libraries. Those manuals were back to the 7th grade level. I'd have to say that most of the time, except for specific and proprietary terms, the writing was for about a 7th grade level. 

I'm perhaps more of a grease monkey myself. I was really happiest when I was up to my eyeballs in work on the two H. K. Porter steam locomotives at the Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern RR tourist line. I did prefer writing about machinery to writing about software, and the bigger the machine - the better. 

Yours, 
David Meashey


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave

Interesting, thank you for the reply. Yes, I can relate to being knee deep in the work, somehow it always seemed to be more fun.

Technical writing is not an easy thing to do well, even when the company isn't trying to save money.


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## stevedenver (Jan 6, 2008)

Posted By TonyWalsham on 26 Jan 2011 05:01 AM 
I mightn't be too wise with computers but at least I can spell endeavour correctly. tongue in cheek?


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Yup. No Smilies in quick reply.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I wrote teck manuals for Picker Medical Products back in the early 70s Did it on a old Royal eletctic type wirter. They they had office staff proof read it for spelling only. Then we sould sit down and go over it for Gramer and sentance structure. I had a French Teacher translate a Tech Manual that was ( of course) Written in French. She translated it word for word. That was a nightmare to read. But it did prepare me for Japingglish.


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