Re: appears vs is displayed

Subject: Re: appears vs is displayed
From: Len Olszewski <saslpo -at- UNX -dot- SAS -dot- COM>
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 15:17:09 GMT

In article <3337E09A -dot- 4AE3 -at- worldnet -dot- att -dot- net>, "Robin M. Allen"
<robin -dot- m -dot- allen -at- worldnet -dot- att -dot- net> writes:

[...]

|> "Click Add and the Add Patient window is displayed."
|> vs
|> "Click Add and the Add Patient window appears."
|>
|> Even though it uses the passive voice, I personally prefer "is
|> displayed." To me, "appears" sounds like it happens through magic. Any
|> thoughts?

Keep the user in the sentence with an infinitive. You are using the
imperative anyway. Something like

"Click Add to open the Add Patient window."

If there are more things for the user to do,'

"Click Add to open the Add Patient window, where you can click
Insurance coverage to see if he has the bucks for this operation."

You get the idea. ;-)

Cordially,
--
Len Olszewski My opinions; you go get your own.
saslpo -at- unx -dot- sas -dot- com

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