Bertrand Daoust

Thanks curtisr.

Never been there but looks very interesting.

Thanks for sharing.

tv

years back when elections for the 928 OC were being thrashed about in a thread here, I suggested that all the best info be kept at one place as a repository. I thought that had been done, hasn't it? The starting point of course are the Dwayne's picture threads. Those with the WSM's should enable people to fix most things on these cars. I also filmed the removal of my engine years ago, someday maybe I'll find that stuff and add it.

SMTCapeCod

A sentiment that stands in stark contrast to the efforts of those that contributed/aggregated/hosted materials cited previously.

dr bob

Sadly, there is too often the idea that shared information is always free. Some folks, and Greg B is a perfect example, share their hard-earned knowledge with the group. Greg's days are pretty packed, as is his schedule and the shop itself, yet he takess time to share stuff many of us might never discover on our own.

Years ago I took an extra day to video-document that most daunting right of passage, the timng belt and water pump project. Ended up with three days of video shot with three cameras from different angles. Turns out that doing the actual TB and WP work is the easy part. Coordinating the various angles, editing into a practical and usable tool, and ultimately compressing the six hours or so of actual worktime into a practical-length video turns out to be almost impossible. Nobody wants to watch a six-hour video of a six-hour project. Add extra time for chapters specific to particular problems that folks might encounter.

Then how to market and distribute? In this age of free entitlement attitudes towards digital media, and considering the compressed market for such things anyway, it makes no sense at all to finish the project at this time. Sell a few, and find it available as a free download from somewhere.

----

A client company just added a new vice-president, who thinks it would be a Good Idea to send copies of my software and documentation out to potential system vendors to see if they could incorporate (same as "copy") it as part of their package. Took a couple phone calls and head-slap letters to get her up to speed on IP rights. Everything that's already been done once should be free. Just ask.

danglerb

What you need are some of James models doing the work.

OTOH as inefficient as it is, coming to the forum, reading other peoples experiences, socializing, and asking questions does work.

docmirror

Lets talk about the search non-functionality. So, as an example I need to replace my dash. One would think that a search parameter like "dash replacement" in the 928 area showing as thread would produce good results. One would be -- wrong.

Here's what I got just from the first page:

928 S4 dash with Nav (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
pmb692
Today 11:52 AM
by pmb692 Go to last post
103 9,347 928 Forum

Suggestions needed Before I try to start my 928 after 10 years. (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
DaveSehl
Today 09:17 AM
by Kolbjorn S Go to last post
95 3,273 928 Forum

1980928, autolack, blackfive, fly, light, lsdpics, marker, msds, navy, plentyoffish, porsche, rear, side, skrilla01, spray 1635 Attachment(s) So what did you do to your 928 Today...... (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
Skrilla01
Today 09:04 AM
by Hilton Go to last post
5,858 384,570 928 Forum

1989, 928, cap, cayenne, center, choke, diameter, fl, grand, mcleod, md1, mike, moda, picture, pull, thread, venice, wagoneer 6503 Attachment(s) Official random 928 Picture Thread (post a new 928 pic or stay out) (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
AO
Yesterday 07:00 PM
by pmb692 Go to last post
8,778 1,612,906 928 Forum

bubble, car, cunifer, empty, full, hok, kd3000, mils, paint, porsche, primer, prohibited, reviews, shell, shells, texas 248 Attachment(s) Empty shell to finished car (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
FLYVMO
Yesterday 05:57 PM
by BC Go to last post
567 71,831 928 Forum

Speedo/tach not working, abs lock and airbag lights on, no digital dash
jwbeck17
07-04-2015 08:17 PM
by jwbeck17 Go to last post
4 124 928 Forum

new issue, intermittant abrupt surge/studder
jwillman
07-03-2015 07:40 PM
by jwillman Go to last post
5 217 928 Forum

Door Cable Guide Replacement
ltoolio
07-02-2015 02:42 AM
by ltoolio Go to last post
4 140 928 Forum

1979, 928, manual Welcome #73 928 1979 to rennlist! (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4)
waynelambright
07-01-2015 12:32 PM
by James Bailey Go to last post
47 2,297 928 Forum

Intake manifold whistle noise annoying. AC not correct. (Multi-page thread 1 2)
NZ928S4
06-30-2015 04:44 PM
by mark kibort Go to last post
28 821 928 Forum

1980 wiring diagram same as 1984
JobeJoe
06-30-2015 01:42 AM
by Alan Go to last post
5 119 928 Forum

3d, 924, 928, fabricated, fabrication, formula, fuel, gasket, intake, lower, manifold, modeling, porsche, project, rail, software 67 Attachment(s) Newest Project - Lower Intake Manifold for Fabricated S4 Intakes (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
hans14914
06-29-2015 12:14 PM
by hans14914 Go to last post
216 19,593 928 Forum

Dash pod switch lamps...How to get ahold of the damn bulbs! (Multi-page thread 1 2)
MjRocket
06-28-2015 09:10 PM
by OTR18WHEELER Go to last post
16 492 928 Forum

928, art, contact, ct, illuminated, illumination, illuminations, interior, klaus, magnetic, martin, rennlist, state, switches, systems, window, windows A "bright" idea: illuminated window switches ** Important order info added ** (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
Champagne
06-28-2015 03:18 PM
by BC Go to last post
120 12,850 928 Forum

2580cr, 615s, 928, body, bumper, dent, dupont, filler, glass, hatch, hot, primer, rear, removing, repaint, variprime, wheels 359 Attachment(s) My son's 1980 repaint begins. (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
Dean_Fuller
06-27-2015 11:37 PM
by Valkuri Go to last post
751 80,404 928 Forum

98 Attachment(s) Brian's 79 REHAB (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
medipedicman
06-27-2015 09:22 PM
by AirtekHVAC Go to last post
360 23,138 928 Forum

1988 S4 problem starting (devek 6 litre stroker car) (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
mark kibort
06-24-2015 06:01 PM
by hb4 Go to last post
130 3,898 928 Forum

Dash topper
joejoe
06-23-2015 06:27 PM
by Rob M Budd Go to last post
1 145 928 Forum

1 Attachment(s) The LadyBug Thread (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
Ladybug83
06-23-2015 03:23 PM
by Ducman82 Go to last post
110 5,564 928 Forum

297 Attachment(s) Flush Console Project Description (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page)
ReDesign by FEATHER
06-23-2015 11:37 AM
by Tom in Austin Go to last post
250 18,339 928 Forum

Looking for new timing chain adjusters (tensioners)
928gt
06-22-2015 06:21 PM
by 928gt Go to last post
12 390 928 Forum

Electric Air Valve & Generator re-wire advise
Ladybug83
06-20-2015 11:48 PM
by Ladybug83 Go to last post
11 414 928 Forum

I can't get no AC
Pierpressure
06-20-2015 04:44 PM
by fraggle Go to last post
6 250 928 Forum

2 Attachment(s) Problem with oil pressure display
FredR
06-19-2015 12:49 PM
by FredR Go to last post
13 346 928 Forum

Buzzing/humming noise in rear end
msce85
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now I didn't go into each and every thread on the first page, but there were 428 total entries to go through! No one is going to do that on a search for 'dash replacement'. So I tried some other search methods, and not one method of searching showed the actual thread on how to replace the dash in rennlist 928 sub-category. Sad.

Yes, there are some DIY instructions in Nichols. So that's where I wind up for the how-to guides. This place is more for the one-off issues we come up with rather than the WSM type instructions. There are tricks to the dash job that are in Nichols that aren't in the WSM, and I'm betting similar tips in the Pelican thread also.

dr bob

Doc, did you use quotes around your search phrase? And somewhere around here is a mini-tutorial around using google to do the searching, with search limited to RL info. It was just here a little while ago... I'll use the 'search' function. Yeah, that's the ticket!

docmirror

So, I read a tutorial on a google search on how to search.

Got it.

depstein15

Nicely said!

bronto

I'm a software developer, and I can tell you that we have the same issues with software documentation. Technically, the docs are (usually) correct, but what they miss is often unstated assumptions, examples of odd examples, alternative approaches with more features, etc. Just like working with the WSM.

I've often thought that the WSM should implement what many of the open source languages are doing, where they "crowd source" a commentary on the docs. For example:

http://php.net/manual/en/function.in-array.php

You don't need to understand coding to see what's going on there. The official docs are first, and then there's a running commentary below that offers tips, suggestions, even questions about the topic.

It really wouldn't be difficult to set something like this up. I will volunteer my time to do so if someone could supply the WSM in text that doesn't have any legal issues with putting it on a web site.

curtisr

Roger that.

WallyP

Nasty comment on searching - I despise cutesy thread titles, like "pleeze help me!!!!" or, "WTF!". It would help a lot if the original posters would use a concise, meaningful title that actually told what the thread is about.

docmirror

What he said.

dr bob

Turns out thatthe video shows gloved hand holding tools. No glamour shots of the wrench turner, probably a good thing. If you want to see sexier wrists and forearms, more power to you.


As part of my fun spare-time work, I tried doing training video to help document and support the software I develop. This is tuff that automates a lot of process and equipment controls in power plants. As the software package evolves, the videos document less and less. It's a couple people watching a bank of monitors, commenting on how each system is working. Again, especially for a cold unit start-up, you end up with hours of video documenting hours of real-time operation.

I've since moved on to closer to real-time process simulation, model-based simulation with the control package overlayed on it. To the operators, the simulation is just as tough as the "real" operation. Biggest gripe? "Why does stuff take so long in the simulation?" Turns out that it takes the same amount of time in the running equipment. Simulation model is too acccurate I guess.

-----

Technical writing skill is a byproduct of having to document all the stuff I do. Truth be told, one of the "rules" in building that documentation is to address the lowest common denominator in the target audience. I follow the "Reader's Digest" guidance, and try to consider that at around a fifth-grade reading and comprehension level. While a typical crewmember is better educated than that, we still get to meet the needs of every person who sits in the control room throne.

When we write for the 928 owner audience here, the same theory applies. The WSM assumes that their target audience has been through all of Porsche's apprentice and journeyman training programs, and is reading the 928 manuals to learn only specific requirements that differ from what they learned in their previous training classes.

----

A decade or two ago, SoCal 928 cofounder Dan Bise put together a format document that could be used to add more comprehensive guidance to the WSM's. It requires that the WSM's be converted to editable text of course, so the carefully managed new information could be inserted into a working SuperWSM. Since that time, we've seen Wiki-style crowd-managed information resources emerge. Those have their place, and for sure help spread the editing and documenting/validating burdens across the larger population of owners.

Single-handedly building a detailed treatise on just a single subset of the car can be daunting at best; ask Alan how he finds time to work on his enhanced electrical guide, and get an idea.

So far, the best we have are culled using the search functions here, and by looking through collections of instructions gathered by some who have gone before us. Dwayne's awesome project guides are obviously a labor of love, since he gives them away freely to the public. Lots of time and care goes into them.

So, where do we go from here?

Alan

That there is actually quite scary stuff... This isn't for nuclear power plants by chance...?

Alan