OK This may sound stupid

I didn't go to kindergarten. I sat in the 5th grade and played the Lemonade game on an Apple IIe. I didn't really enjoy school. I rather enjoyed the distraction from everyday life that was achieved by simply going to school. I had friends -- a lot of them. Some are still my friends today. Some were not really good friends after all and it seems you figure that out about 5 minutes after graduation.

After years of college and several extension classes to keep my education current, I find myself today enrolled in yet another class. Technical Writing. It seems the only way I am ever challenged is by learning something completely new. So, it looks like it will be an advanced degree in Math and Science to keep me on my toes for the next few years. I'm not really known as a math and science whiz but I do enjoy areas of study that have a finite value or result -- definitely not something subjective where interpretation plays a role. I like yes or no, black or white answers. I am very decisive.

Well, this first class is in Technical Writing so I can learn to write engineering papers in the correct format...or at least one person's idea of the correct format. I am taking the course via Distance Learning from the university where I received my undergraduate degree. I applied, sent money, got accepted, sent more money and enrolled in a class. Today I received the materials via mail.

I am sitting here reading the introductory pages to the book for the course and I have already found 5 technical errors. One mistake stems from a word being left out of a sentence:

"If you have access to the World Wide Web, you may some of the material at the site to be helpful in your assignments."

Then it goes on to declare the text for the course to be:

"Gerson, Sharon and Stephen Gerson, Technical Writing: Process and Product, 4th ed., Prentice-Hall (Pearson Education), 2003"

Now why wouldn't it have just listed the book as Sharon Gerson ad Stephen Gerson instead of putting the first author's name with the last name first and the second author a different way?

Oh, but the big mistake is that Mr Gerson -- Steven -- spells his name with a 'v' and not a 'ph' as the instructions in the introductory text indicates.

They also recommend another book (but it is not required):

"Gerald J. Alred, Charles J. Brusau, and Walter E. Olio, The Technical Writer's Companion, 3rd ed., Bedford/St. Martin, 2002"

The problem with this is that Charles' middle name begins with a 'T' not a 'J' and his last name is spelled 'Brusaw' and not 'Brusau'. Walter's last name is spelled 'Oliu' and not 'Olio'.

So I am suppose to be obtaining an education from this class. Are they offering bonus points to the person who can correctly identify all of the mistakes in the text? Do you remember those Highlights magazines they always had at the Doctor's Office? It usually had a picture where you had to find the things wrong in the picture -- like a woman with a spoon on her head instead of a hat (as an example). I feel like those days of sitting with strep throat may be ready to pay off.