Instructions become really interesting when they are poorly translated from, usually, Chinese. Then its anyone's guess on what was really meant by the technical writer.
arthur -----Original Message----- From: Ed Weick [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, July 14, 2003 8:23 AM To: Cordell, Arthur: ECOM; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Futurework] REAL-TIME FIELD OBSERVATION It needs cooperation. Whenever I try to assemble anything, my wife takes the instructions (even before I can give them to her) and with something of an air of arrogance takes me through it step by step. It may be an example of women think, men do. Ed Weick ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2003 9:49 PM Subject: RE: [Futurework] REAL-TIME FIELD OBSERVATION > Ever try to assemble a barbecue??? > > -----Original Message----- > From: Brad McCormick, Ed.D. [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2003 5:12 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Futurework] REAL-TIME FIELD OBSERVATION > > > I never understood why "dads" feel such > fulfillment in having children, until > about an hour ago. (No sh-t!) > > My wife brought home the needs-adult-assembly > tricycle from hell. > > I've been working on the thing for an hour, > and have finally advanced to about frame 4 of > 14 frames of assembly instructions. > > The real challenges aren't explained > in the instructions.... > > So, why do "dads" feel creatively > fulfilled? Because putting together > a child's toy can be a serious challenge > in "discovery learning" (i.e., discovering > whats somebody else already knows > but won't tell you and won't even > tell you they know so that you can > resent them for their stonewalling). > > This is amazing. With > toys that almost need an Edison to > put together, "dads" can easily fail > to see that they aren't really > creating, inventing or > discovering anything, but just > being free outsourced labor for the toy company. > (But we know that the only way to prove > you love someone is to make a useless > sacrifice for them, see the famous > O'Henry story "The Gift of the Magi", e.g.) > > The company's name is Radio Flyer, and I > hereby nominate them for a User Interface > (UI) big-time botch award! > > Who has time to watch Superbowls? > > \brad mccormick > > -- > Let your light so shine before men, > that they may see your good works.... (Matt 5:16) > > Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thes 5:21) > > <![%THINK;[SGML+APL]]> Brad McCormick, Ed.D. / [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit my website ==> http://www.users.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/ > > _______________________________________________ > Futurework mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework > _______________________________________________ > Futurework mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
