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Subject:Re: Is there a nice way to say... From:Alexia Prendergast <alexiap -at- SEAGATESOFTWARE -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 27 Aug 1997 07:36:34 -0400
Ah, the writer's Catch-22. What would Yossarian say...
On the one hand, I never point out "limitations" or use
negative terminology (unless I am listing known problems
in the release notes). On the other hand, users can smell
a snow job a mile away -- and the last thing you want to
do is anger your users by trying to sugarcoat a problem.
Our solution: Just be matter-of-fact about it. I list system
requirements. Other stuff I discuss as needed in the text
without trying to hide it *or* draw attention to it. If you
are matter-of-fact about it, your users probably will be, too.
If you call them out as limitations, your users will feel like
they are being ripped off, your competitors will use it against
you, etc. (Obviously if it's a problem that will cause them
to lose data or something, it warrants attention -- in which
case, I treat it as any other warning, drawing attention to
it and yet not drawing attention to it. Hmmm. There's something
very Zen about it all.)
HTH,
A.
--
Alexia Prendergast
Senior Technical Writer
Seagate Software mailto:alexiap -at- sems -dot- com
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Maura Betler [SMTP:Maura_Betler -at- G1 -dot- COM]
>Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 1997 5:02 PM
>To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>Subject: Is there a nice way to say...
>
> ...That our software has (gulp) *limitations*?
>
> Can I say that? Does that sound bad? You see, there are some commands
> that only work under specific conditions. (For example, the humidity
> has to be at least 40 percent, Venus must be rising, and it has to be
> a leap year.)
>
> I just need a heading under which I can describe these
> "short-comings." What are you doing in similar situations?
>
> Thanks for your help.
> =============
> Maura Betler
> Group 1 Software - The Marketing Software Company
> Maura_Betler -at- g1 -dot- com
>
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