Re: Select, choose, click style guide

Subject: Re: Select, choose, click style guide
From: Ned Bedinger <doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com>
To: techwr-l List <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:48:32 -0700

Janice Gelb wrote:
> Ned Bedinger wrote:

>> 1. Edit > Find > Replace > All
>
> Readers can indeed probably figure out what you
> mean but your solution seems to me to be the
> equivalent of writing a sentence of all nouns
> without any verbs. I think that adding a simple
> imperative verb makes the instruction clearer
> and the step would be more quickly read and
> comprehended.

Yes, that isn't unreasonable--it communicates in a standard way--but is
one of the most common types of instruction. I'm not so sure that
anything is gained by sticking to standards at the level of the
ordinary, mundane instruction.

I forget where I first saw it done as Edit > Find > ..., but I'm drawn
to it as the atheistic alternative to the religious beliefs about the
right standard way. I do want written knowledge transfer to be
progressive. It needn't be stuck in 1980 vocabulary reflecting concerns
about how to get people to use a mouse! We've learned that mousing isn't
a big problem area requiring finely segmented vocabulary. Haven't we?

Ned Bedinger
doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

ComponentOne Doc-To-Help gives you everything you need to author and
publish quality Help, Web, and print content. Perfect for technical
authors, developers, and policy writers. Download a FREE trial.
http://www.componentone.com/DocToHelp/

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.


Follow-Ups:

References:
Select, choose, click style guide: From: Rob Hudson
RE: Select, choose, click style guide: From: Jennifer Randel
RE: Select, choose, click style guide: From: Chinell, David F (GE EntSol, Security)
Re: Select, choose, click style guide: From: Ned Bedinger
Re: Select, choose, click style guide: From: Janice Gelb

Previous by Author: Re: Select, choose, click style guide
Next by Author: Re: "physician indicative" - what?
Previous by Thread: Re: Select, choose, click style guide
Next by Thread: Re: Select, choose, click style guide


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads