"Life it too short to read the manual"

[Valentin Albillo]

.
Hi, Egan:

(09-19-2018 02:28 PM)Egan Ford Wrote:  That is the problem, IMHO. The lack of well-written manuals. [...] I used to read the manuals end-to-end, when they were worth reading.

Absolutely. The Owner's Handbooks for the classic models HP-25, HP-67, HP-11C, HP-15C, HP-34C and the HP-41C were amazing reads and I devoured them from the first page to the last, enjoying every minute of it.

Do you remember those funny and enlightening examples featuring "lovesick sailor Odysseus", "Silas Silversaver", "Norman Numbercruncher", accountant "Polly Preparer", etc ? Not only did you understand the code and techniques discussed but would also remember them thanks to the cheerful mood employed throughout, as if the manual's authors were saying: "Hey, we've had a heck of a time developing this calculator and creating this manual for you and we really want you to join us in the fun and enjoy the ride as well while learning how to make the best of it."

Afterwards, the manuals for the HP42 and the HP-71B were reasonably adequate but you began to notice the downward spiral. By the time I looked at the HP35S manual I knew I didn't want to read it and I actually didn't.

As for devices other than HP calculators most manuals are extremely poor, let alone those terrible and unfathomable translations from Chinese, Korean, etc. to languages other than English, and at times even to English as well.

V.
.