-No Subject-

[Barry West <Barry_West -dot- S2K -at- INTERNET -dot- S2K -dot- COM>]

Responding to Blank Page issue:

As a Techwriter who started his career writing to Mil Specs, "This Page
Intentionally Left Blank" was a device we used because the spec told us to
(along with restricted verb lists). This is a phenom created years ago my
writers of military specifications (Don't blame Big Blue). As writers and
technoids moved on from those government oriented positions, they sometimes
brought along with them some of that mil-spec mindset. Basically, this is how
things like "This Page Intentionally Left Blank" were unleashed upon the
world.  I have always looked upon this as our way of not so subtly letting
readers know that we think some of them may be stupid. However, I have never
spoken to a user who has ever mentioned anything to me about being confused
over a blank page at the end of a chapter. This seems to be more of a writer
problem than a user problem.

Also, as a user, I prefer to see chapters  begin on the right, but only because
I have been conditioned to expect that format. However, I have asked my self if
doing this truly provides some advantage to the reader, and the answer I came
to is, no. I cannot think of a single advantage. And I cannot think of a single
disadvantage of starting chapters on the left.  For these reasons, I have
concluded that since this issue makes absolutely no difference to the reader, I
can afford, in this instance, to indulge myself. So, I use chapters; I start
them on the right, and I don't write anything on my blank pages. And no one has
yet provided me with any reason of substance not to.