Slashdot Mirror


Revised Hall of Technical Documentation Weirdness

DBarefoot writes "Last August, my Hall of Technical Documentation Weirdness was submitted to Slashdot. Some folks found it at least mildly amusing, and I received a bunch of submissions of documentation weirdness from Slashdotters and others. So we've just posted an updated version of the Hall, with more than twice the images and easier navigation."

24 of 122 comments (clear)

  1. Yowzers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    That is pretty weird. But not as weird as some stories I've read here.

  2. Extreme Weirdness by Bob+Gelumph · · Score: 2, Funny

    The weirdness in my work project is that the documentation is missing. I keep meaning to write a comment or two, but with 12000 lines now, I just never seem to get around to it.

    --
    I'm gonna need a spec.
    1. Re:Extreme Weirdness by Stupid+American · · Score: 0, Funny

      hi i am an good software engineer from india, can someone pliz explain what is documentation?

    2. Re:Extreme Weirdness by ErichTheWebGuy · · Score: 3, Funny

      documentation = sex:

      even when you think you have enough, it is not nearly sufficient

      --
      bash: rtfm: command not found
  3. Ohhhh dear.. by Debug+This · · Score: 2, Funny
    This album has 36 pictures in total

    Lets see, average of 5k.. multiply by the average amount of slashdot readers.. that works out to arouuunnnnnddd...

    *ahem*, remember to tell me what the afterlife is like.

  4. hi by pytsun · · Score: 2, Funny

    hi i am an software engineer from india, can someone pliz explain what is documentation?

    1. Re:hi by g-san · · Score: 3, Funny

      It's an optional deliverable after the "release" phase in the software development process. Usually obsolete, just read the code.

    2. Re:hi by pytsun · · Score: 1, Funny

      "It's an optional deliverable after the "release" phase in the software development process. Usually obsolete, just read the code." funny, this is exactly the same answer I got when asked what is testing now i must code and deliver

    3. Re:hi by manavendra · · Score: 1, Funny

      but Sir, this was not discussed during the requirements gathering phase sir. I am not knowing if I am to send this documentation in advance sir. Please consider sir!

      --
      http://efil.blogspot.com/
  5. This one brought back memories by Concerned+Onlooker · · Score: 4, Funny
    I've actually seen this one first hand. It's in the instructions for the heating packet for MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). I had taken my girlfriend out to Joshua Tree National Park where another friend of mine met us. I had taken the trouble to bring along a wok and all the ingredients for stir fry but my friend had brought along a box of these MREs filched from his recent stint in the service.

    The kicker is that my (ex) girlfriend decided she'd rather have the MREs. I mean, come on, even bad stir fry is better than an MRE, and I know from first hand experience. Except for that one time I found a Band-Aid in my Buddha's Delight....

    --
    http://www.rootstrikers.org/
    1. Re:This one brought back memories by Bushcat · · Score: 2, Funny
      It's in the instructions for the heating packet for MREs

      I actually have several dozen of the things for reasons too stupid to go into. Other warnings include

      "vapors released ... contain hydrogen, a flammable gas"

      and

      "when ten or more heaters are used...".

      I tested the ten-heater threat model by collecting the 'vapors' in a plastic bag then exposing the contents to a match in a scientifically, controlled manner (i.e. I closed my eyes).

      Basically, it's a ten-minute fart with the ability to singe eyebrows and deafen.

  6. IF Slashdot by MartyJG · · Score: 2, Funny

    Room: Slashdot Main Page

    Directly in front of you are several stories. You notice a story about Quake with the notice 'Read More' beneath it.

    >click notice

    Room: Weekly Obfuscated Quake Story

    You are now in an area that seems vaguely familiar. You immediately notice several trolls that are already attacking both the Quake story and a purple dinosaur.

    Your score is currently +5 moderator points.

    >attack trolls with mod points

    You use all of your moderator ammo on the trolls, taking out a handful. There are still a few trolls left, but they leave you alone. The Quake story is now being protected by sensible readers, but the purple dinosaur is a hill of beans.

    You see an opportunity for a karma kit. You see a notice marked 'Reply'.

    >hit reply

    You now see a Quake story with your post listed near the bottom, but in front of the trolls who are now attacking each other. Two moderators enter the room, closely followed by an Anonymous Coward and two morons who don't know how to read.

    >hit submit story

    Your post has drawn the attention of the others in the room. The faint smell of flamebait seems to be coming from just below your post. Five trolls have suddenly come back to life!

    >attack flamebait with witty reply

    Your witty attack has shot down one of the non-reading morons. One of the moderators takes care of the Anonymous Coward - he runs off to foul up some other room. The other moderator leaves behind a karma point.

    Victory is yours!

    --
    insignificant sig
  7. ...is a lot like sex by ControversialPosting · · Score: 4, Funny

    It sends you on wild goose chases for years, trying the silliest of things, eventually leading to the point where you give up and do it yourself.

  8. Documentation for international audiences by wine · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is a funny article that featured on slashdot a couple of years ago. I describes the differences in culture one has to pay attention to while writing technical documentation for international audiences. For instance:

    And while Italian and French users were very happy with printer documentation that included pictures of naked women with slim, strategically placed tinted bars showing how colors were reproduced, Esposito doubts that particular manual will be used anywhere else.

  9. The posting by Mr_Silver · · Score: 5, Funny
    Revised Hall of Technical Documentation Weirdness
    Posted by simoniker on Thursday April 01, @08:26AM from the you-only-live-twice dept.

    DBarefoot writes "Last August, my Hall of Technical Documentation Weirdness was killed by Slashdot. Some folks found it at least mildly amusing that a poor server should die in such agony, and I received a bunch of submissions of documentation weirdness from Slashdotters and others. Given that I've run out of spoons to gouge my eyes out, I've decided that I might as well kill the server for a second time."

    --
    Avantslash - View Slashdot cleanly on your mobile phone.
  10. Re:HEY, I'm Japanese... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "Crod", I think you mean.

  11. I'm off to RTFA now? by blorg · · Score: 2, Funny
    I'm of the RTFA now?

    That's what you think.

  12. Re:Are there any languages .... by the_twisted_pair · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yes. American.

  13. Reading it quickly.. by Tracer_Bullet82 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I read "revised hell of technical documentation"

    --


    Timang tinggi tinggi
    parang sudah asah
    alang alang mandi
    biar sampai basah
  14. I can't figure out how to use this... by descentr · · Score: 3, Funny

    One of the oddest things I've seen as far as documentation goes would have to be on the back of a package of doorstops I bought at Wal-Mart a couple years back. Take a look at this.

    1. Re:I can't figure out how to use this... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Yep, I know this quite well. My father, in his infinite wisdom, after a fight with my mother tried to slam the garage door shut behind him and ended up ripping out a large chunk of the door. This is also a man that manages to walk into sliding automatic glass doors, regularly. He's taught me a lot about doors...

  15. Re:Military labeling by SEWilco · · Score: 2, Funny
    Is "Front Toward Enemy" on the front of a Claymore, or is it on the back so you can read it when it is properly placed?
    I can never remember which way it is.
    Ow.

    If you can read this, you are the enemy.

  16. Inclusiveness by SEWilco · · Score: 2, Funny

    Is the Hall of Technical Documentation Weirdness also technical documentation weirdness, so it should include itself?

  17. Re:Military labeling by tlhIngan · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's why it's usually stated as "This side towards enemy", thereby eliminating the confusing "which way is front" question.