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"When you click the X button the X dialog displays." (Actually, I would use
"appears" rather than "displays," but that's probably a matter of personal
preference.)
Brian
-----Original Message-----
From: Sybille Sterk [mailto:sybille -at- wowfabgroovy -dot- net]
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2000 4:46 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Futur tense use in technical documentation
Dear all,
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?
Thanks,
Sybille
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sybille Sterk
Technical Author and Translator (German)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Email: sybille -at- wowfabgroovy -dot- net
Web Site: www.wowfabgroovy.net
ICQ: #26779340
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