Re: What does a window do???

["Parks, Beverly" <ParksB -at- EMH1 -dot- HQISEC -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL>]

A window opens. I like "open"; it goes well with the "window" metaphor.

Reference: Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications, copyright
1998, page 199, under entry for "open":  "Users open windows, files,
documents, and folders." Also, under correct examples: "You can view your
document in the open window."

Bev Parks

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Nancy Smith [SMTP:smithcds -at- ICI -dot- NET]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 1999 2:48 PM
> To:   TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject:      What does a window do???
>
> Help, please!
>
> I've been doing tech writing for more than 17 years and I am one who
> cringes
> when I read "The ABC Window displays."  I had hoped it was a matter of
> concientious writers' trying too hard to stay in active voice -- even to
> the
> point of using a transitive verb incorrectly as an intransitive verb!
>
> On the other hand, I don't want to be one of those dyed-in-the-wool
> purists
> who cannot change with the times -- when that is appropriate.
>
> When I asked one technical writer where she learned to say that, she
> thought
> she had learned it in a course at a big university.
>
> So, folks -- what's the latest, greatest, most appropriate expression to
> use
> in a procedure to indicate that the software is responding to the user
> action and "Behold -- The window --- !" (does what???)
>
> And, can you point me to an authoritative source for whatever your answer
> is?
>


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