Re: Microsoft Manual of Style

[Buck Buchanan <buck -dot- buchanan -at- CITICORP -dot- COM>]

> At thr risk of showing my provincialism, i would like to point out that not
> all of us
> > hate Microsoft Manual of Style,
>
> I don't even have it.  I don't even know if it's a printed manual, an
> on-line manual, or what.
>
> Would you please enlighten me.
>
> TIA,
> -
> IRA L. JACOBSON

Many "artistes" on this list have chastised me for quoting:
The Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications
A Microsoft Press publication (ISBN 1-55615-939-0)

I like it for its CYA aspects.  Essentially, every possible Command,
Menu Item, Dialog Box, Window, and other reference is listed in simple
alphabetical order.  If I'm confusted whether to use Click or Click on;
Data/Datum is/are; Dialog/dialogue; or anything else in a GUI interface,
I can look it up in a heartbeat.

If my boss says, "why," I show it to her in MSMS and she must either
say, "oh, that's fine," or "I don't like that. Do it my way,"  I have
covered my backside.

I suppose any good manual of style is okay, but I've chosen this one
(plus the one written by my boss, and Chicago Manual of Style for items
not covered in MSMS).

Thanks for your reply.

--
Buck Buchanan
Software Documentation
Citicorp Technology Center
Westlake, Texas
Speaking for me, not for them!

buck -dot- buchanan -at- citicorp -dot- com
Home:  writer -at- wf -dot- net

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