I see nothing wrong with that. Books has nothing to do with it. It has more do with clarifying that a blank page is not seen as a software (when using conversions between different file formats) or a printer.

I think, if anything, it is useful. I really do not care if it is not used.

 

Rafiq Bulsara
http://www.srengineersct.com

The note is also used in codes and specs to tell the reader that he is not misssing information - it was never there.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto:  KISS
Motivation:  Don't ask

...software or a printer glitch ,I meant.

Rafiq Bulsara
http://www.srengineersct.com

jmw,

I agree that not long ago, printing single-sided was the norm, because many printers and copiers did not support full double-sided printing. (To get double-sided output on my home printer, you have to print front faces first, then re-insert the stack of printed pages to get the reverse face printed, and hope that you put the sheets in with the correct orientation, and hope that the software correctly accounts for odd-numbered and even-numbered facing pages etc.)

However, most larger offices these days would have smart copier/printers with full support for full duplex printing, rescaling at print time, etc.  There is no reason to NOT use the double-sided function, and it really does save quite a lot of paper!(In my office, all printers are set to use duplex printing by default, so you have to make a conscious decision to print single-sided.)

As to the original question - I think it makes a lot of sense to use the "intentionally blank" notation, so the recipient can be 100% certain they have received the full document, not an accidentally abridged version.

My own pet peeve about nonsensical printed notices is on software which bears the notice "By opening the original packaging, you certify that you agree to the licence terms and conditions." And where do you find a copy of the terms and conditions? On a printed notice INSIDE the packaging!

Cheers!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A676280

"The page on which this statement has been printed has been intentionally left such that this statement is the only statement printed on it."

Hg
 

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Used to see it all the time in exam papers as I recall.  Maybe the double sided or other pagination issue.

Kind of made sense, can you imagine all the potential raised hands about 'missing page' or all the smart ass variations on the old existentialism essay theme.

Standard format for military technical manuals to ensure reader understands that there is no inofmation missing.

Maybe that's the other place I've seen it a lot, in the AP's at a previous employer.

The pages were sometimes to allow further expansion of sections without causing big pagination changes as I recall.

At other times just to give a clear break between different sections.

I have seem (This page intentionally left blank) used over many years in many manuals, price books, parts lists etc. I have always thought it would be sufficient just to print - "Blank Page" as enough to indicate that no data is missing.

Or "Go to next page" "Continue on next page"
Saying the page has been left blank when it obviously hasn't.
Perhaps "This page intentionally blank, apart from this message."

JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

I think you can / would assume that it means left blank of any information related to the publication.

The purpose of a language is to communicate clearly and this phrase (or a variation of it) does that very effectively.

Anyone who cannot understand the meaning and intentions of "This page is intentionally left blank" would have difficulty in other aspects of life as well. They get confused, when there is nothing to get confused about.  

Rafiq Bulsara
http://www.srengineersct.com

rbulsara - I would have to agree completely with you, but then of course maybe we are confused by its simplicity and there is a more sinister meaning hidden in "This page is intentionly left blank" which we don't see.

No, its just saying something that isn't true. The page is no blank.
For many people badly sued apostrophes are an irritation, or using the wrong spelling of "there", split infinitives and so on.
In my case I just felt that if they were going to say something this isn't the only way to say it and they could say it in a way that doesn't irritate people.

let me assure you, guys and gals, it isn't because I don't understand what they mean. If that were the case I wouldn't have posted in the English forum.

 

JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

Yeah, a vacant building is still full of air!

Rafiq Bulsara
http://www.srengineersct.com

A blank check has a lot written on it as well!
 

 

Rafiq Bulsara
http://www.srengineersct.com

Now what about a blank mind?  If you are told to concentrate on nothing - make your mind blank - then you are actually thinking about something.  Is you mind truly blank?

Move along.  There's nothing to see here.

- Steve

I once unpacked a computer shipping carton which had several boxes inside used as filler that were labeled "EMPTY BOX".  I guess too many people couldn't be bothered to check the packing list & complained that they got a box with nothing in it.

In many applications, particularly in legal proceedings, inclusion of a note to indicate a page is blank is often required to specifically indicate that no error occurred. For personal dealings, if I have a contract with an empty page, I sign, inital and date any empty page along with note that page is empty. Otherwise, it may be difficult to show if something was added after the data the blank page was noted and signed. A lawyer once tried that nonsense with me in Circuit Court. The judge did not approve of my notarized copy having the dated note, while the opposing counsel had a completely different "blank" page. Wasn't my problem.

Findings is time when this may occur frequently. Request for disclosure may require multiple documents that cannot be located at the time, but must be addressed. Again, this often happens in sequential order. Original document may contain blank or redacted portions. Total document length must still match. If it sounds silly, thank a lawyer.

What jmw has encountered is, at this point, no longer a descriptive statement but a convention, and the logic of it is no longer relevant.  The presence of that phrase signifies a page that is devoid of meaningful content, and the signification by convention doesn't need much regard for the literal meaning of the sentence.  You're several decades too late to influence the convention in any significant way.

Hg

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Thanks HgTx, that's the answer looked for and while it satisfies, I'll still be niggled every time I come across it.

I expect convention is to blame for a lot of the instances where a few more moments thought would have helped.

JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

I blame IBM.

Hg
 

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Quote:
Standard format for military technical manuals to ensure reader understands that there is no inofmation missing.

Note -- the following is not a quote.  I am asking this question right here and now in this post:
                 Is this where the moniker, military intelligence comes into play?

Quote:
...They get confused, when there is nothing to get confused about.
 

Long established conventions can be swept away.  Remember this  bit of nonsense from Prime Minister's Questions:

"I refer the honourable gentleman to the answer I gave some moments ago"

- Steve

Is it true that this is only found in government publications?

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto:  KISS
Motivation:  Don't ask

What is true? Please expand a little on you comment.  

"on your comment"

msquared48:  No.  The first time I saw it was IBM manuals.

Hg

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