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Subject:Re: Active versus passive From:Christine -dot- Anameier -at- seagate -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 20 Dec 2000 10:52:23 -0600
Michael West wrote:
> "To generate the report, click the Report button"
> is better because it tells me the result BEFORE
> I perform the action. After I've clicked it, who cares?
> It's too late.
Well said. I'm not big on explaining the results of an action: the reasons
for the action, and the steps to perform it, are what matter to me. When
those are clearly explained, I don't see the need to describe the results
unless the results are something particularly notable or unexpected.
A random example:
To open the Item Summary window, click the Item Summary button. The Item
Summary window opens.
The first sentence works fine. The second one, in my opinion, is
unnecessary.
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