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Re: Is the generic "you" implied in error messages?
Subject:Re: Is the generic "you" implied in error messages? From:Denise Lystad <lystad -at- lynden -dot- com> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com Date:Thu, 10 Feb 2000 14:02:11 -0800
I. too, am new to writing error messages.
Originally I felt you should use the word "you".
After thinking about it (and reading a few error
messages myself from other software), I think it
is best to use the passive voice because then it
doesn't sound so accusatory. I don't know that
feeling guilty is a conscious response, but I
think it is there sub-consciously.
By the way, the Microsoft Manual of Style also
agrees with using passive voice.
Denise Lystad
David Castro wrote:
>
> I'm having an interesting discussion with a programmer, regarding the error
> messages that I'm reviewing.
