TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
RE: The Origins of Techwriting (WAS:Re: Techwr-1 polls)
Subject:RE: The Origins of Techwriting (WAS:Re: Techwr-1 polls) From:"McClain, Bill" <BMcClain -at- centura -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 15 Nov 2000 12:02:46 -0500
Interesting exchange.
If anyone wants to see an example of a WWII aircraft operator's guide, look
for /Flying Fortress/ by Edward J. Jablonski. The book's out of print but
may be in your local library. It features reprinted pages from the crew's
familiarization manual for the B-17 Flying Fortress, a four-engine strategic
bomber aircraft prominent in the war.
I read the book repeatedly in junior high school and was struck by the
artistic detail put into the wartime-produced crew manual. Compared to
plenty of contemporary owner's manuals for consumer items, it seemed
visually far richer in addition to well organized and concise. I'm a little
hazy on this, but I seem to recall a technical illustrator drew the cockpit
layout in near-photographic quality.
Bill McClain
("Writers are always selling somebody out." - Joan Didion)
-----Original Message-----
From: Sandra Charker [mailto:scharker -at- connectives -dot- com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2000 11:16 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: The Origins of Techwriting (WAS:Re: Techwr-1 polls)
Meg Halter, of navair.navy.mil, asked about the British and US WWII
maintenance manuals:
<snip>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Develop HTML-based Help with Macromedia Dreamweaver! (STC Discount.)
**NEW DATE/LOCATION!** January 16-17, 2001, New York, NY. http://www.weisner.com/training/dreamweaver_help.htm or 800-646-9989.
Sponsored by SOLUTIONS, Conferences and Seminars for Communicators
Publications Management Clinic, TECH*COMM 2001 Conference, and more http://www.SolutionsEvents.com or 800-448-4230
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
