Anthropomorphism

[geoff-h -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA]

 Matthew Long wondered about problems with anthropomorphism
 in technical writing. Matthew, you're confusing two
 definitions here, and that's what's leading you astray.

 If you say something like "the software searches for a text
 string", you're not anthropomorphizing... you're simply
 using a verb correctly. It's no different from saying
 "Newton discovered that apples fall from trees"; the apples
 do fall, irrespective of whether they do so consciously.

 The problem arises when you say something like "the
 software is your friend, and will find the text for you".
 Problem? Well, the software _isn't_ your friend (in fact,
 if its MSWord, it's more usually your enemy), and you're
 misleading the reader by making that implication.
 Sophisticated readers won't misunderstand you, though
 they'll resent the style as patronizing; neophyte users may
 absorb the metaphor of "a friend" and get seriously shocked
 when they find out that the metaphor is a sham. (I'm basing
 this on William Horton's writings, so if you need original
 references, check out the first edition of his book on
 writing online docs; I don't recall seeing it in the second
 version. Another specific reference involves the
 psychoanalysis program called Eliza, if memory serves; many
 people who interacted with this software refused to believe
 that there wasn't a real human analyst typing on the other
 side of the glass.)

 --Geoff Hart     @8^{)}     geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
 Disclaimer: Speaking for myself, not FERIC.

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