This thread and related ones were closed earlier -yesterday- to prevent list overload. there are way too many posts on the topic.
Please let it take a rest. If it continues we'll have to turn on the list 'moderate' mode, something we rarely do. 73, Eric WA6HHQ Elecraft list moderator === On 12/10/2010 11:37 AM, Phil LaMarche wrote: > Suggestion......RE-write a chapter of the manual and send to Wayne. He > might want you to do the rest. Just an idea because of your back ground. > > Phil > > Philip LaMarche > > LaMarche Enterprises, Inc > p...@lamarcheenterprises.com > www.LaMarcheEnterprises.com > > 727-944-3226 > 727-937-8834 Fax > 727-510-5038 Cell > > www.w9dvm.com > > K3 #1605 > > CCA 98-00827 > CRA 1701 > W9DVM > > > -----Original Message----- > From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net > [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Edward R. Cole > Sent: Friday, December 10, 2010 2:24 PM > To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Parting shot > > > Good point. In fact, in my early work history as a tech writer for Hughes > Aircraft, we had a minimum of three people involved in editing or reviewing > text. I would write it, some one would review and edit. I would review > that and correct anything I thought was needed. It went to a third reviewer > and back to me and then the two others would again review and so it would > go. Why it would take 3-weeks to write a page. > > I was an engineering writer, so I was in charge of content (technical > accuracy). But one of the best experiences was a week long seminar put on > by our Phd english expert on how to write documentation. It followed me > thru the rest of my career, where the ability to write for comprehension > mattered more than most engineers would admit. > > Yes, I did technical work, but often I was asked to explain (quarterly > reviews) or write procedures for the un-technical personnel. An example I > often love to tell is when I was a college student taking FORTRAN programing > class (1965). The instructor was a complete disorganized idiot. That is > not how you teach programming (a logical subject). Fortunately, the text > book was great. I put together a 30-page outline of the course for teaching > myself. Once that was known in the class I had several request for copies. > I like to think I helped get several thru that class. A case of the > recently learned teaching better than the "staff". BTW the "prof" > started class by taking his old battered briefcase and dumping the contents > onto his desk, sorting thru a heap papers for his class notes...ugh. But > the perspective of the non-expert who has recently learned a topic having > better delivery of instruction than the "expert" is good one to realize. > Same approach of doing user evaluations. > > Some times targeted documentation is better than "does all" type. A user > manual; A reference manual.; An installation manual; and a service manual. > But that takes human resources to generate. BTW I had a Navy tech once tell > me that all they used from our tech manuals were the diagrams! ;-) > > I think the K3 handbook is technically pretty good, but maybe could use some > rearranging. Topics are segmented throughout the document. A good index is > vital to any good manual. K3 index is pretty good, but wish I didn't have > to use it so much. > > ---snipped > There is this other thing we continually forget, anyone technically > qualified to design something is hugely UNqualified to write the doc for it. > Only edit after the writing for factuality. Doc on something needs to be > written by somebody who has freshly learned how to use that something > starting from a position of ignorance. The most important thing in doc > writing is understanding NOT UNDERSTANDING. > The engineering staff is usually completely opposite, they've never NOT > understood how that something works. They MADE the d**n thing. > > > > 73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45 > ====================================== > BP40IQ 500 KHz - 10-GHz www.kl7uw.com > EME: 144-1.2kw, 432-100w, 1296-testing*, 3400-winter? > DUBUS Magazine USA Rep dubus...@hotmail.com > ====================================== > *temp not in service > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
