21 Mar
2010
21 Mar
'10
12:30 p.m.
I have both hard copy & PDFs for most things that
I work on. The PDFs =
take considerable *less* physical space than all of the paper. A =
I generally need the complete manual anyway, if only to be sure I am not
missing something important (OK, I probably don't need the page that
wanrs me there are dangerous voltages in the PSU, but I would estimate
that I do need about 99% of all the service manual pages).
Which means I either print out the complete manual every time I need it
and then put it in the recycling box (which seems to be very wasteful of
paper and toner, not to mention time), or I file and keep the printout.
Which is just as much to store as the original paper manual.
cabinet maker friend of mine built me a bookcase
specifically for all of =
the 11x17 binders that DEC put the prints into. It makes them *much* =
more accessible.
Since A3 binders are ridiculously expensive over here, I fold the pages
down to A4. Fold them in half, then fole the top half back again to get
an A4 page with 2 thickness at the 'binding' side and 3 thickness at the
'free' side. Then they will fit in a normal binder.
I prefer to use the paper when I'm actually working on a machine. To =
help preserve the originals that I have, I typically print out a few =
As an aside, some of the pages in the steering section of my Citroen BX
workshop manaul are stained bright green. I am sure Rik will understand
why :-)
pages that I might need from the PDFs when working on
the actual HW. =
That way I also don't feel bad when I scribble notes on them.
If I am recoding the fact that my machine doesn't exactly match the
manual (that is, I have a different version), then I simply annotate or
change the manual. If I am adding changes or explainatiuon I've worked
out, then I make a photocopy of the appropriate page and annotate that,
amd then file it in the manaul. I also add pages of my own test results
(for monitors, I always record the CRT pin voltages, for example).
I typically use the PDFs for research/study (other than the source of =
work copies). I also am fortunate enough to have a 30" display with a =
2560x1600 resolution. It's big enough and with enough resolution that I
Fortunate, indeed. I don't know how much a 30" monitor would cose, and I
don't kno how much it would cost to keep it running for, say, 20 years,
but I am sure of one thing -- it's more than I could afford...
-tony