Re: Use of the word "the" in figure captions

[Janice Gelb <janiceg -at- MARVIN -dot- ENG -dot- SUN -dot- COM>]

Reuven wrote:
>
> I also feel that the definite article should stay.
> I always use it. I feel that it is proper, more formal, and more polite.
> Otherwise the user feels that you are throwing something at him,=20
> or figuratively "beating him over the head" with the diagram.
> Besides, you sound like Rocky if you don't use it.
> (Yo, you! "Alert" dialog box.)
>
> In short, figures should be captioned with the use of the definite =
> article, because it implies that you are telling the reader specifically =
> what he or she is looking at. (Pardon my ending a sentence with a =
> preposition, please.)
>

I disagree with this (and so does the _Read Me First_ style guide).
A figure caption is not meant to be read as a sentence or as part
of the text so I don't see the argument that leaving out the
article is "throwing something at" the reader. The illustration
itself is already a break in the text. And as for "telling the
reader specifically what he or she is looking at," I can't see
why "Alert dialog box" doesn't do this equally as well as
"The Alert dialog box."

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