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Subject:Re: Don't say what you CANNOT do in documents? From:eric -dot- dunn -at- ca -dot- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 20 Apr 2004 11:04:40 -0400
bounce-techwr-l-106467 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com wrote on 04/20/2004 10:49:56 AM:
> I can't begin to calculate how much time I've wasted trying to do
> something seemingly logical and obvious that the software simply
> didn't support or supported in another way or a way that was
> different from all the other software I was using. Your
> approach is something writers should do far more often,
> particularly when (as you've done) the "you can't do this here"
> is supplemented by a pointer to the correct way to do something.
OTOH as a user I have no interest in what the application can't do. I want
to know what it CAN do. While frustrated and in a rush, that negative
could push me over the edge to give up and I may not try the alternative
approach. When there is no absolute need for a negative, make all
statements as positive as possible. Heck even warnings, cautions, and
dangers can all be written in positive action driven form as opposed to
long lists of do nots and negativity.
In John's case the desired function is known, and the procedure is known.
Give building complex queries an entry in the index, a title in the
procedural section (and its place in the TOC). Then, point to the activity
building procedure.
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