Chattiness in manuals

[Ned Bedinger]

> On 10/17/06, Sarah Bouchier <Sarah.Bouchier at exony.com> wrote:
>
>> How would you react to a manual that said, "The installation of this
>> component may take several minutes.  This would be a good time to go and
>> get a cup of tea"?

I would think "Start-up" -- the people who make this product or write 
this manual are spending all of their time at work and have optimized 
their time so as to run domestic errands and such whenever a lull 
presents.  Of course, I would go get a cup of tea.


Chattiness that I find alarming is a specialized variety that comes with 
having a subject matter expert write the manual.  I don't have the words 
to describe what is wrong with a manual like that, but I think of it as 
the author being the context for the information.  If you strip out the 
author's chattiness and personality, you will invariably hear back that 
you've changing the meaning of what was written.  Undo.