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Has everyone out there lost there (sic) minds!! Does anyone remember when
REAL style
guides were used (Chicago Manual of Style, etc.)? I hate to remind
everyone,
but the Microsoft Manual of Style is nothing more than a style manual taken
from
an in-house technical writing department that was published because that
in-house technical writing department happens to be MICROSOFT!! I have
worked
for many software companies that have also had style manuals, as I am sure
most
of you have also, and would you really say that the rest of the technical
writing world deserves to read and follow your styles, if they were to be
published? I have seen many really good style manuals (Microsoft's is not
one
of them) that are not used industry wide because everyone is so busy running
around with their noses up Bill Gates' butt!! .....]
This is not a flame but a response. The only reason I refer to the MS
Manual of Style is when a question arises that refers to an item that MS
designed. Please don't give me a history lesson. All I'm saying is that if
you want to know if it's a window or a dialog box, ask the people who
created windows and dialog boxes. I hope your day goes better.
P.S. I kiss no butt before its time!
Marsha G. Kamish
Documentation Specialist
Landata Systems, Inc.
Houston, Texas
713-479-2571
mkamish -at- stewart -dot- com
The opinions expressed are mine and not necessarily representative of
Landata Systems, Inc.
"It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning
to others." -- Ashleigh Brilliant
"I can justify anything." -- Marsha Kamish
-----Original Message-----
From: Lynette Petendree [mailto:Lynette_Petendree -at- INSTINET -dot- COM]
Sent: Monday, February 01, 1999 9:23 AM
To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
Subject: Microsoft Manual of Style
Has everyone out there lost there minds!! Does anyone remember when REAL
style
guides were used (Chicago Manual of Style, etc.)? I hate to remind
everyone,
but the Microsoft Manual of Style is nothing more than a style manual taken
from
an in-house technical writing department that was published because that
in-house technical writing department happens to be MICROSOFT!! I have
worked
for many software companies that have also had style manuals, as I am sure
most
of you have also, and would you really say that the rest of the technical
writing world deserves to read and follow your styles, if they were to be
published? I have seen many really good style manuals (Microsoft's is not
one
of them) that are not used industry wide because everyone is so busy running
around with their noses up Bill Gates' butt!!
Use your basic writing instincts folks. Haven't some of us at least studied
this thing called writing? Yes, most of us are writing about computers.
This
however does not mean that suddenly the English language and grammar has
changed. All I am saying is that technical writing has been around a lot
longer
than Microsoft, and I tend to think it will be around a while after
Microsoft,
so try and use some common sense.
Go ahead and flame me, my delete key hasn't had much action lately anyway!!
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 11:08:08 -0500
From: Philomena Hoopes <PHILA -at- MAIL -dot- VIPS -dot- COM>
Subject: Re: Which is correct?
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Stacy, a great arbiter in such debates is the Microsoft Manual of Style for
Technical Publications (ISBN 1-55615-939-0).
