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Subject:RE: What to do about writing samples From:"Mike O." <obie1121 -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 22 Jan 2003 10:34:24 -0800 (PST)
>Most ignored piece of tech writing: "Please do not top off" -
> seen at every self-service gas station in the US.
Also ignored on the gas pump: "Turn off cell phones."
> The most successful instruction to ever be applied to
> a consumer product, responsible for almost doubling the
> consumption of the product almost overnight.
>
> On the side of the shampoo bottle:
>
> "Repeat"
Actually it says "Lather, rinse, repeat..." It doesn't say when
to stop, so theoretically there could be people stuck in an
endless loop in showers all over the country. I have heard this
used as an example of why procedures don't need to include
"Click OK."
Also there are some (non-written) affordances manufacturers use
to increase consumption:
- In toothpaste ads, note the giant worm of toothpaste, with
pointy curls at both ends, precariously perched on the
toothbrush. I guess that's how much you are supposed to use!
- Liquid laundry detergent keeps changing the size of the cap
(which you use to measure the soap) and also the concentration
of the soap. They know I'm always going to use "one capful."
</seinfeld>
Regards,
Mike O.
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