Typoz and apostrophes

Subject: Typoz and apostrophes
From: Lisa Baker <lisab -at- COREL -dot- COM>
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 08:41:12 -0700

OK. I'm going to beat the dead horse.
Yes, using proper punctuation and grammar is important. The rules provide tools
for communicating with clarity. However, I'd say some of these responses
indicate an unproductive obsessiveness with it. So, you throw out a writer's
resume because it says "two years experience" rather than "two years'
experience." Perhaps you fear the same type of "unprofessionalism" will creep
into your otherwise pristine documentation.
Yet, from the responses, it appears we as writing professionals don't necessarily
agree on the usage and that alternate usage is prevalent. If that is the case, is it
going to be an issue to your customer who in most cases are not professional
writers? (Aren't some of your customers these "C++ programmers that can't
string two words together?") Is it going to cloud the meaning of your
documentation? Is it going to distract them? No.
It seems when we get a few writers and editors together we often spend a lot of
time discussing details like this that make no difference to our customers
whatsoever.
Lisa Baker
lisab -at- corel -dot- com

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