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Thyne Oldest Known Tech Manual

Posted by timothy on from the better-than-many-current-ones dept.

johnshirley writes "How old is the oldest known technical manual? About 613 years, it seems. Written in 1391 by Geoffrey Chaucer for his ten year old son Lewis (Lowys), the manual explains in great detail but very rough spelling and grammar, the intricate workings of the Astrolabe--the predecessor to the sextant. Read Chaucer's 'A Treatise on the Astrolabe here."

18 of 452 comments (clear)

  1. Even the oldest tech manual isn't readable.. by Earl+The+Squirrel · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yet another technical manual I can't make much sense of....

    8-)

    1. Re:Even the oldest tech manual isn't readable.. by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny
      Yet another technical manual I can't make much sense of....

      It is unfinished, too. Missing is:

      47. Thy instaling of Linux

      Inserteth into slotte A thyne distributione dyske tytled thus 'Dyske 1', the first dyske of thyne counting. Thou shall notte place inne dyske 2, or dyske 3 excepting that thou hast alreadye placed in dyske 1, or dyske two before dyske 3. Thou shalt notte inserte dyske 8 as itte dys notte exyste...

      --

      A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    2. Re:Even the oldest tech manual isn't readable.. by Conspiracy_Of_Doves · · Score: 5, Funny

      5 is right out

      --

      Technoli
    3. Re:Even the oldest tech manual isn't readable.. by squidfood · · Score: 5, Funny
      astrolabe for dummies

      I hadde the beste teke supporte calle in the last of dayes. A ladde declared hes Astrolabie thus broken, and coudde notte tell of the altitude.

      "Didst thou putten thyn thombe in the ring" I didst ask.

      "I gaze upon no such ring" he replieth.

      "What of this thinge by thy right hond." I enquireith.

      "Ah! Doest thou mean the holder onto which I hath placed my cuppe of beer?"

  2. Huh by LNO · · Score: 5, Funny

    Somehow I suspect the 1-800 tech support line at the end of the manual isn't ringing any more. Lifetime support my ass...

  3. OCR by iamthemoog · · Score: 5, Funny

    Looks exactly like my experiences of using OCR software.

    --
    No Norm, those are your safety glasses; I'll wear my own thanks...
  4. Karma Sutra by Mateito · · Score: 5, Funny

    The Karma sutra was written by Vatsyayana sometime between the 1st and 6th century AD. If that's not a technical manual, I don't know what is. Oh wait.. this is Slashdot.

    --
    Norman Cook's Ode to Sl
  5. hehe by ArmenTanzarian · · Score: 5, Funny

    Bye reeding thus lycense agerment, thee promeses...

    1. Re:hehe by American+AC+in+Paris · · Score: 5, Funny

      Shoulde ye, upon iynspection of thyne Astrelabie, obsyrve a displaye of vivyde blu that doth syrmounte all othre tynt, eyther thyne Astrelabie ist fully angled teuwards the Heavyns, or thyne Astrelabie hast crayshd moste uttyrly.

      --

      Obliteracy: Words with explosions

  6. Spalling ande suche by American+AC+in+Paris · · Score: 5, Funny
    Lyte Lowys my sone, I aperceyve wel by certeyne evydences thyn abilite to lerne sciences touching nombres and proporciouns; and as wel considre I thy besy praier in special to lerne the tretys of the Astrelabie...

    Shame he's dead. He'd make a good Slashdot editor.

    (yes, yes, I know, Olde Englishe ande alle thate...)

    --

    Obliteracy: Words with explosions

  7. Pervert! by JudgeDredd · · Score: 5, Funny

    the intricate workings of the Astrolube--the predecessor to the sextant

    He wrote a sex manual for his 10 year old kid?
    This guy is a pervert!

  8. spelling? by rifter · · Score: 5, Funny

    Written in 1391 by Geoffrey Chauncer for his ten year old son Lewis (Lowys), the manual explains in great detail but very rough spelling and grammar,

    Actually, the spelling in the manual is correct for the period, unlike slashdot articles, where one cannot even expect proper nouns like Chaucer to be spelt correctly. :P

  9. Inspiration for spammers... by JohnGrahamCumming · · Score: 5, Funny

    Although the spelling and grammar are rather old fashioned, no doubt spammers will take inspiration from the text for the latest attempts to get around filters.

    I can see it coming to an inbox near you soon:

    "Is thyne mans penys lyttel? Than thou hast by myne oyntments"

    John.

  10. KAMA Sutra by Speare · · Score: 5, Funny

    The Karma sutra was written by Vatsyayana sometime between the 1st and 6th century AD. If that's not a technical manual, I don't know what is. Oh wait.. this is Slashdot.

    That's Kama Sutra, you dork. You've misunderstood the meaning of the word 'karma'. Oh wait... this is Slashdot.

    --
    [ .sig file not found ]
  11. Even in the 14th Century.... by LittleGuy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Support could be summed up by a four-letter acronym:

    RYFP - Reade Ye Focking Parchment!

    --
    Mod Karma -1: I sed bad wurds. If I cep my mouf shut, I wud be at riyses.
  12. Historical Geek by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    He must be a true geek: He would rather write an intricate manual rather than just show his son face-to-face how to use the damned thing. I can relate :-)

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  13. Re:I can't figure out... by mcmonkey · · Score: 5, Funny
    That's just how it was then: spell however you want, so long as you're understood and you didn't look like an idiot.

    Ah yes...the time when /. editors reigned supreme.

  14. Slashdot, 1392 by paiute · · Score: 5, Funny


    Father! (Score:IV, Runelike)

    by Lowysbot (0000087)
    on Wednesday January 28, 1392

    Overthwart this forseide longe lyne ther crossith him another lyne of the same lengthe from eest to west? WTF?

    Siggurus infantium!

    re: Father! (Score:II, Plagued)

    by ACerteyneMortale (0000004)
    on Wednesday January 28, 1392

    RTAM!
    (Rede thy accursd manuale!

    Mie tayle is too loge for God's sig.

    --
    If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine