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Subject:Re: Semicolon Survey From:kcronin -at- daleen -dot- com To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com Date:Fri, 22 Aug 2003 10:48:22 -0600
> A lot of the talk about semicolons has been pretty high-falutin', so I
> decided to make a quick survey of industry practices among publishers whose
> aim is to appeal to a mass audience with a none-too-high reading level.
Though not a fan of the romance genre, I think it is a mistake to assume
that *anybody* who reads for recreation can be categorized as having a
none-too-high reading level. Taste and literacy are not inextricably
linked.
Instead, there are many people who find reading a very unpleasant and
difficult method of ingesting information. For such people, the idea of
reading for *enjoyment* is completely foreign.
Those are the people for whom semicolons provide no additional clarity,
and chances are some of your users are among their ranks.
Outside of academic settings, we can assume most novels are read
voluntarily, most likely by people who *like* to read. I don't think we
can make the same assumptions about our documentation.
Keith Cronin
Thanks. And have a torrid, tempestuous day, filled with the kind of
seething
passion that spans entire continents, crossing generations, filling your
heart
with pulsating waves of a love that can not, must not be denied.
Whew!
