Technical Writing Exercise No. 2,908: Be Mysterious.

Technical Writing Exercise No. 2,908: Be Mysterious.

1. Print a 3x5 warranty registration card for a product in two languages, so the print is in approximately 8 point type (I've misplaced my pica pole, or I'd be able to tell you exactly).

2. Ensure the print is made even smaller by including, in two languages, a copyright notice for the logo of the company company that owns the company for which the product is branded, and the logo of the branded company as well.

3. Conveniently print the return address and "place stamp here" on the reverse side of the card.

4. Inconveniently require your customer to "include" a copy of the receipt for the product they're attempting to register, thus negating the convenience of printing the return address on the obverse.

5. Put the UPC symbol on the bottom of the box into which the device and its associated cords won't fit because the buyer wasn't there for the unboxing, thus causing all of the as-yet unwarranted parts to fall out onto the floor, and then REQUIRE the buyer copy the UPC number onto the card (in 8-point type because that's all the space the buyer's got EVEN THOUGH the UPC number is printed on the copy of the receipt the buyer has to include with the mail-in card).