Future Tense Dispute

Subject: Future Tense Dispute
From: "Arthur Schweke" <tekritelist -at- hotmail -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 11:24:45 CST

Author Wrote:

We have a dispute at work. So far I have avoided the future tense wherever
possible, because from what I gathered it is not used in technical
documentation as it expresses a certain amount of doubt like it is
expressed in "may" or "might". Now, obviously this is grammatically
incorrect as my proof-reader, i.e. my boss (who, by the way is no technical
author) pointed out.

An example to make clear what I mean:

"When you click the X button the X dialog is displayed" (this is what I
normally write)
"When you click the X button the X dialog will be displayed" (this is what
my boss wants me to write)

What tense would you use?
-----------------------------------------------------------

Try "x dialog displays."
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