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Subject:Re: Using the word shall From:Rick Lippincott <RJLIPPINCOTT -at- DELPHI -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 5 Oct 1994 21:38:13 -0400
You've probably already got a response to this effect, but here's an example
of "shall", "will", "should" and "may" as defined for inclusion in U.S.
Military manuals. (This is a quote from USAF TO 1C-5A-1, the flight manual
for the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy transport aircraft)
Shall -- Construed to mean that the requirements are binding or mandatory.
Will -- Used to express a declaration of purose. This term is used in
descriptive material only, not in procedural information.
Should -- Used to express a non mandatory desire or preferred method of
accomplishment and shall be construed as a non mandatory provision.
May -- Used to express an acceptable or suggested means of accomplishment
and shall be construed as a non mandatory provision.
(Notice how they started using "shall" before they were even done with the
definitions?)
If I were reading marketing material, and saw the word "shall" in the
context of "This product shall exceed your specifications" or "Our machine
shall produce 1,000 widgets per hour", I'd take it as a statment of
guarantee, and if the product didn't meet that standard, I might just end up
talking to my lawyer....
Rick Lippincott
rjlippincott -at- delphi -dot- com
