fv1609 Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Some while ago I posted this on another forum, never got an answer. Anyone here got any ideas? Browsing through a FSPB 1926, the amendments are coded 26/Manuals/554 yet the original book is coded 26/Publications/163. Why are they codified in different ways? The other thing is most 26/ books I have are 26/GS Publications although a lesser number are just 26/Publications, although the subjects covered are often similar. Is it just slackness omitting "GS"? It can't be a date issue as I have many books of various ages that use either designation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 You're the paperwork expert Clive......don't ask us:??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted November 13, 2010 Author Share Posted November 13, 2010 You're very kind, but not so much an 'expert' but more 'has a special interest in'. The above system predates the more familiar WO Code which then became Army Code. This system I am interested it was introduced by the WO in 1917 as a format for classifying subjects in publications & communications. There were 122 subject codes, ranging from 0 to 120. There were a few subjects relating to barrack fortifications that prefixed the name of the station in front of 13 certain numbers in the range 1 to 25. All of these registry series could have sub-headings from 1 to 120 although not all of those numbers were allocated. This system was a simplification(!) of the earlier system that used large blocks of up to 5 digits instead of the up to 3 digit system eg The ‘new’ 1917 system 24 Medical 29 King’s Bodyguard 51 Camps, manoeuvres etc Previous system Medical 24, 4830-4833, 4847, 4864 King’s Bodyguard 5100, 40228, 61003-61005, 61038 Camps, manoeuvres etc 4839, 7614, 61061 So the 1917 system was actually an improvement! The later WO Code than slid over into Army Code is easier to catalogue but no easier to understand in terms of its structure. It appears random in that you can have pamphlets on sexual health in a block that contains vehicle user handbooks, parts lists, stores catalogues etc. But there is an overall number block allocation although that is not immediately obvious! In 1978 (& then improved in 1982) NATO adopted a subject indicator system called NASIS. This comprises a letter-digit-letter system which covers a wide range subjects so that there is no confusion & communications can be allocated to the correct subjects. Rather surprisingly NASIS is UNCLASSIFIED. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Drake Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Good question, to which I cannot even begin to even guess at the answer. When in the Sea King IPT, the Aircraft Maintenance Manual and the Aircraft Repair Manual, were both Publications with AP numbers. You demanded by the AP number and for assistance gave the title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff66 Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 aircraft use ata system 32 landing gear apu chap 49 generalal servicing 12 etc ithink speckeled hen starting to kick in!!:cool2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret1958uk Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Upon seeing the title my answer would have been that a manual can be produced by anyone, and a publication would be listed with HMSO and copyrighted HMSO. However that was a guess, and having read you post I have no idea whatsoever. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Well, in answer to Clive's original post, concerning military books. A manual is usually a book telling you how to do a task, not just for vehicles, but covering anything. Not all books produced for the military would have been "how to" types, so they would be Publications as a general term. The Americans call their books concerned with engineering matters, TM, meaning Technical Manual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted February 12, 2011 Author Share Posted February 12, 2011 Yes publications don't have to be just books. Indeed I have some Army Coded Publications that are CDs, DVDs, leaflets, pamphlets, aide memoirs & posters. But the original query was the way in which the 1917 WO Code system flipped between 26/Manuals/xxx & 26/GS Publications/xxx & 26/Publications/xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Probably not the way the Military do it - but in the automotive manufacturing world a "Publication" was a descriptive work whereas a "Manual" was a "step-by-step how to do it" one..... Does that make sense?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 (edited) So its a 'Publication' because it is printed the act of making information or stories available to people in a printed form Manual (Noun) a book which gives you practical instructions on how to do something or how to use something, such as a machine Edited February 13, 2011 by Tony B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Just to complicate things, in the Royal Navy manuals are called BRs (Book of Reference) .... Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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