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Subject:Re: Re[2]: Master/Slave From:Matthew J Long <mjl100z -at- MAIL -dot- ODU -dot- EDU> Date:Thu, 18 Sep 1997 10:09:50 -0400
On Thu, 18 Sep 1997, Walker, Arlen P wrote:
> Ah, there we've hit the main point. Context is everything. Someone who is
> likely to take the phrase out of context and then take offense at it is
> likely to find all sorts of unfortunate constructions in our writing.
In my free time, I compose music on my synthesizer. Using MIDI (Musical
Instrument Digital Interface) I can connect two synthesizers together. The
concept of class or racial oppression never even crossed my mind when I
read "The way you connect the MIDI in and MIDI out ports will determine
which synthesizer is the master and which is the slave". It just drew for
me a very vivid mental picture of one synthesizer making the other one
respond by sending messages accross a MIDI cable. It clarified an
otherwise vague (to me, at least) concept.
Context! Context! Context!
> The purpose of a manual is technical communication, not moral improvement.
> I'll use the terms the industry recognizes, because those are the terms my
> audience will know best. It's hard enough getting the material accurate as
> it is; I'm not about to waste my time trying to make my audience think and
> act like me as well.
AMEN!!
////////////////////////////**************************************
Matthew J. Long
Technical Writer
mjl100z -at- mail -dot- odu -dot- edu
matt -dot- long -at- justice -dot- usdoj -dot- gov
-When you can't be eloquent, choose brevity!
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