Is it considered humour to add a "go and make a cup of tea" note during an installation?
A previous installation I worked on did a lot of database manipulation and could take anything between 3 to 5 minutes to complete. Hence the "start the installation and go and make a cup of tea" note. Not really humour I guess but maybe what some people are suggesting is that we 'humanise' our documentation a little more (if we can, known your audience etc). Or maybe it's because I'm partway through reading "Make it Stick" (recommended!). Gordon -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of John Posada Sent: 19 April 2007 22:27 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [TCP] Appropriate humor in tech comm > I wrote a manual with cartoons in it, does that count? :) How about pull-quotes? I wrote a serious manual on how to home-brew beer and wine...ran about 25 pages, as my final project for a tech writing course I took at a local college. I used a 2" left margin with sidehead headings. In the column of the first page of each section I included a quote, usualy similar to the following quotes: "I don't drink...wine" Count Dracula "He was a wise man who invented beer." Plato "24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence?" Stephen Wright John Posada Senior Technical Writer "They say everyone needs goals. Mine is to live forever. So far, so good." ______________________________________________ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. DOCUMENTATION & TRAINING WEST 07: THE USER EXPERIENCE April 18-21, 2007 ~ Vancouver BC ~ Marriott Pinnacle ~ free city tour 40+ sessions * free workshops * free iPod offer * www.doctrain.com _______________________________________________ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 269.5.2/766 - Release Date: 18/04/2007 07:39 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 269.5.5/769 - Release Date: 19/04/2007 17:56 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ This email (and any attachments) is private and confidential, and is intended solely for the addressee. If you have received this communication in error please remove it and inform us via telephone or email. Although we take all possible steps to ensure mail and attachments are free from malicious content, malware and viruses, we cannot accept any responsibility whatsoever for any changes to content outwith our administrative bounds. The views represented within this mail are solely the view of the author and do not reflect the views of the organisation as a whole. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Graham Technology plc Registered in Scotland company no. SC143434 Registered Office India of Inchinnan, Renfrewshire, Scotland PA4 9LH http://www.grahamtechnology.com ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. DOCUMENTATION & TRAINING WEST 07: THE USER EXPERIENCE April 18-21, 2007 ~ Vancouver BC ~ Marriott Pinnacle ~ free city tour 40+ sessions * free workshops * free iPod offer * www.doctrain.com _______________________________________________ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
