TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
-> >I *detest* passive voice. The words "should" and "may" denote
-> >things that are optional. "Install pumps so that...." becomes
-> >"Pumps shall be installed so that...."
-> So why not "You shall install pumps so that . . ."?
Because the person reading the manual may not be the one installing the
pump. It could be the person who performs safety checks, or who uses the
pump, or someone with a responsibility to inspect and verify safe
operation and installation of pumps.
I would make a case for using a passive sentence directed at nobody in
particular in this instance, so that everyone reading the manual is
implicitly responsible for the correct installation of the pump.
