I read your post and said yup, JD is right, the print option lets you read all of a discussion; as to why you would want to or need to is another matter entirely. Some time ago when that was first brought up, I tried it. It took me a moment or two before realizing that what was meant by using the the print option, was really a reference to using the print preview portion of the print option. I didn't think anything of it at the time except shortly thereafter several people complained they couldn't make the print option work for them. I even had someone send me a pm asking how the print option was to be used and what surprised me about that, was the question came from someone who I thought was more or better informed on the subject than I was.
How many times have you seen someone who has been a TR member for quite some time, ask how to make and use emoticons or manipulate text. We direct them to the appropriate post, which by the way, [b][i]needs to be updated[/i][/b] as regards the change from O to 0, but as time goes by you might see one or two abortive attempts and then nothing else. It is fairly clear that, that particular individual did not or could not comprehend the instruction. You have to wonder sometimes, especially if the member has been around for four or five years and has a 10 - 25K Q&A rating, what the hell is going on or is wrong.
If these were isolated incidents involving only one or two members you might assign it to being a lack within a particular individual but since it is totally random in character and it can't be defined or isolated based on experience and/or intelligence, then maybe, the problem lies within the instructions being inaccurate, imprecise or ambiguous and it is the latter, I think which is probably at the root of a lot of the problems.
Too often statements are made with the assumption being made that the subject, in its entirety, is understood by the reader or listener. Most of the time, you would be right but every now and then you will encounter a subject that you take for granted but is unknown to someone else. It isn't that they are stupid and you are brilliant; it more than likely means you learned whatever, in a different manner or context.
Anyone who has ever read an instruction book written for the military is imediately struck by the seemingly repetitive and redundant nature of the writing. Many with a military background would agree with your assessment except they will remind you that the military accepts people of diverse educational and background experience and in deference to this they make sure there can be no possible ambiguity to their instructions. As I once heard it expressed the books were, "Written by geniouses for execution by idiots." Sometimes I think we forget that all of us come to IT from an assortment of backgrounds and experience.
We are all, or mostly all, techno-freaks. Technology amuses and amazes us but sometimes we forget that just because we can do something, it does not mean we should do something. I think that is an idea that needs to be kept in mind regarding whatever changes are going to be made to TR. I understand the problems and frustrations that TR faces but understand that the natural tendancy of people is to resist change. No matter what is done or how well it is implemented, it will not meet the approval of all and you will lose some members. Hopefully the changes will attract new and interesting members to replace them. Lately I myself have noticed a shift in the membership and while this is interesting, TR is not as familiar as it once was. Whether this is good or bad, remains to be seen but it would be a shame if TR fizzled out due to boredom and apathy.
[b]Dawg[/b] ]:)
