Re: Examples of Great Software/Web-based User Guides

[voxwoman <voxwoman -at- gmail -dot- com>]

On Fri, Aug 21, 2009 at 1:31 PM, Erik Hare <wabbitoid47 -at- yahoo -dot- com> wrote:

>
>
> Robert Lauriston wrote:
>
> > Actual usage of "automagical' seems to be "automatic" with the
> > implication that the speaker is impressed that it works but doesn't
> > know how, or, when used ironically, knows how it works but can't be
> > bothered to explain. I don't see that either would ever be
> > appropriate in formal writing.
>
> I wouldn't use it in an instruction manual, for example.  But in a magazine
> article it could be useful to describe the attitude of people involved.
>  Ideally, the speaker isn't a significant player in that writing, formal or
> not, so to infer that the disconnect between the technology and  its users
> is the writer's affliction implies a larger problem with the piece, IMHO.
>
> I think that the attitude implied by "automagical" is abhorrent,
> absolutely, but it's still a very common problem.  I like having a word to
> describe it.
>
> Erik Hare
>
>
I think that "automagical" belongs in the same dictionary that includes
"edumactaion," "crumulent," and "embiggens".  Good for dialogue on "The
Simpsons" or a snarky article, but not for something that purports to be
written in "proper English."

-Wendy
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