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Subject:wording for training materials From:"Writer Whirler" <a_whirler -at- hotmail -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 17 Oct 2002 09:49:06 -0500
Please help me settle a difference of opinion. A writer in my group wrote a
PowerPoint presentation about the new features of a new release of our web
site. The audience for the presentation was support people. In our user
guides, we always refer to the user as "you". Throughout this presentation,
this writer used "the user" instead. When the presentation went for editing,
the editor wanted all "the user" references to be changed to "you". The
writer didn't do it (and sent the presentation out as final), saying that it
wasn't necessary because the audience was support people, not users. The
opposing opinion in our group says it should have been changed because the
editor (who is also the manager) has final say in matters of style, but also
because "you" is just as understandable (perhaps even more so....less words
to read, less awkward construction...), and because the trainers presenting
most likely are saying "you can now do this...." rather than "the user can
now do this...."
This is not a huge issue, but one of those sticking points that we'd like to
settle. Any opinions out there? Thanks.
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