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Subject:Re: To use or not to use the term "WYSIWIG"? From:Ned Bedinger <doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Wed, 02 Feb 2005 10:53:30 -0800
adf1972 -at- yahoo -dot- com wrote:
> What do you all think? Is it too casual and jargony a term to use in a
> technical manual?
>
> Adrienne
Your QA may be echoing a common sentiment about products that claim to
be WYSIWYG--that is, that most of them are WYSIWYS, at best.
In some circles, WYSIWYG doesn't leave any wiggle room for "pretty
much"--it either is or is not WYSIWYG. 'True WYSIWYG' is one term that
is sometimes used to underscore product features that cleave to the
purist concept of WYSIWYG.
So in answer to your question, no I don't think WYSIWYG is too jargon-y
for computer professionals, but yes I think the term WYSIWYG has been
abused and distorted to the point where it is likely to elicit automatic
doubts about the truth of any claim of being WYSIWYG.
My advice, which admittedly is confining, is to forego using WYSIWYG
unless you're on very solid ground in your use of the term. The other
option I can suggest is to go with a more preecise term (for the
discriminating user) such as 'near WYSIWYG', 'true WYSIWYG', 'WYSIWYG
Wannabe', or whatever.
OTOH, if the product spec calls for WYSIWYG, you could opt out of the
squabble by letting the product manager and QA work it out.
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