Why rewrite?[edit]

Manual transmission is a good page, but I perceive a number of problems with it.

Structure[edit]

The structure is a little bit confusing. For instance, the division between synchronized and unsynchronized transmissions is not that interesting. Most people will never encounter an unsychronized one. Synchronization can simply be listed as an advancement in manual transmissions in some paragraph which briefly covers their history. That paragraph doesn't have to repeat the details about how it works.

Redundancy[edit]

The same thing is said in different sections, sometimes with subtle differences which spoil the unity of the article.

Fluff[edit]

Too much text is spent on silly regional differences and informal jargon. Is it really necessary to dive right into explaining that a manual transmission is known as a stick shift, straight drive, etc?

There are way too many specific examples: cars being mentioned, exceptions to general rules and so on. Sure, there have been all kinds of configurations and variations. Does an encyclopeic article have to list all of them? Is it important to cover all of the shifter patterns?

The topics in application and popularity need better treatment, perhaps. It's certainly an interesting phenomenon that manual transmissions are more or less prominent in some motorist cultures,. The only problem is that it's observations from first-hand experience. I.e. "original research". I wonder if this has been formally studied somewhere by someone.

Arguments[edit]

The comparison section is too long. It needs to be refactored, perhaps with the help of a different structure. Some of the arguments are too detailed, and make it appear as if the article is arguing against itself. It seem slike a discussion which averages into neutrality, rather than a coherent piece of reasoning.

A possible structure might be just to give the advantages flat, without counter-arguing against them, and cite them as "base line" advantages against a basic automatic transmission. Then another list can be added which lists some refinements that can be implemented within, or in conjunction with, automatic transmissions to negate some of those advantages.

The comparison section could be split into categories of advantages with subsection headings.

In Summary[edit]

I'd rather work on the page than explain why. :)

--KazKylheku 07:21, 23 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]