Re: Standard English vs "industry standard"

["HICKEY, John David" <jdhickey -at- GROUPE-PROGESTIC -dot- COM>]

Greetings!

>measurement (dB for decibel rather than Db).  He
>returns it to me with some of the corrections
>returned to their former status, and with new
>non-standard entries, claiming that a) this is the
>way it's done "in the industry" or b) "everyone
>reading this will know it's done this way".  My

This has always been a point of contention. Even I quote "industry standard"
when I'm backed against the wall on the use of "button", "dialog box", and
"window". Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

First of all, consider the source of the criticism: is he really an industry
expert? Does he really have his finger on the pulse of the terminology used
almost everywhere? He probably doesn't, but it's probably worth it to try to
find out exactly how extensive his knowledge is.

Secondly, can you ask your audience? Ask them what terms they use the most
often. Tally the votes and make your decision. If you get a gaggle of
different responses, pick the one you like and enforce it as the "industry
standard" term. If you can't address your clients directly, try to find
people like them and ask them what terms they use (via a newsgroup, for
instance).

Finally, do some textbook research. See how other manuals refer to your
technology and try to find out what the "industry standard" is.

Hope that helps. If it doesn't, I can find someone to rub this guy out, see?
I gots a cousin who could fits him wit a pair of cement galoshes and he
could be takin' a swim wit da fishes, see?
---
Be seeing you,

John David Hickey
Technical Writer
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Groupe-Progestic
Montreal, Quebec
514-842-7995

Do not confuse my opinions with my employers'
Each exists in blissful ignorance of the other.
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