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Subject:RE: extra words: unnecessary or educational? From:"Mark Baker" <mbaker -at- ca -dot- stilo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 28 Aug 2003 10:52:08 -0400
John Cornellier wrote
> Drifting from the original topic, but is it better to say
>
> "to copy files, use the transfer program..."
> or
> "the transfer program copies files..."
The first.
> Isn't the first one more "user-centric"?
Yes.
> Seems to me, an important difference; or am I delving too far
> into the RNG (Realm of the Nitty Gritty) here?
It is not only an important difference, it is the important difference.
Unfortunately, tech writers spend far to much time worrying about how to say
things and not nearly enough time worrying about what to say.
Speak plainly by all means, but, above all else, say the right thing.
---
Mark Baker
Stilo Corporation
1900 City Park Drive, Suite 504 , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1J 1A3
Phone: 613-745-4242, Fax: 613-745-5560
Email mbaker -at- ca -dot- stilo -dot- com
Web: http://www.stilo.com
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