Re: Adding "notes" pages to a reference manual?

["Michael West" <mbwest -at- bigpond -dot- com>]

> 
> Any suggestions? Has anyone ever seen a reference manual with blank notes
> pages? If so, were they numbered or not numbered?  Would you think it odd
to
> have those notes pages in your reference manuals?

No, I've never seen a reference manual with blank pages for notes, but if it
is being used as a training manual (even though it wasn't designed to be
one), then it is, from the perspective of the trainees, a training manual.

I don't see any real problem with sticking blank pages in the back for
notes, but it is a half-measure. The real solution of course is to produce a
real training manual, and if I were in your position that's what I'd be
repeating again and again until they got tired of hearing me.

Chances are the consultants have a very vague notion, if any, of the
difference between training manuals and reference manuals. I've been among
people like that, and after a few tries they finally got it into their thick
skulls. 

And no, blank pages need no numbering because the only reason for numbering
is to complement a table of contents and index. I would, however, put a
heading on them so people know what they are for.

Mike West
Melbourne, Australia

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