Wordless Docs (was : how do you indicate blinking lights?)
J Wermont
jwermont at sonic.net
Tue Feb 5 18:55:13 MST 2008
Martinek, Carla wrote:
> I hate "wordless" documentation! It reduces the possibility of clear
> communication in at least one language into a guessing game in no
> language at all.
>
> Elevators have buttons marked <|> and >|<. They are presumably for "open
> door" and "close door" respectively, but by the time you remember which
> is which, the doors have already opened or closed. The only one you
> actually want is "open door" so that you can hold the door open for
> someone, but you're afraid to press either of them, for fear you might
> have guessed wrong. Instead you stick you hand into the closing
> guillotine. There's no point in arguing the issue with elevator gurus,
> because the meaning of the buttons is totally clear to them.
You need to view this site for comic relief:
http://www.darrenbarefoot.com/hall/main.php
It's full of wordless documentation, with the words added by
submitters in a helpful attempt to make them more understandable. :)
I'm hoping this will be new to at least some of you!
Joyce
More information about the TECHWR-L
mailing list