"Appears" vs. "will appear"

[Lauren]

FWIW:  I avoid the use of the word "appear" altogether because is sounds
like the new window just manifests out of nothing.  Here is a No. 3 option.

"Click the ABC to open the XYZ dialog box."

Lauren
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus.edu at lists.techwr-l.com 
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus.edu at lists.techwr-l.com] On 
> Behalf Of Keith Hansen
> Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 9:11 AM
> To: techwr-l at lists.techwr-l.com
> Subject: "Appears" vs. "will appear"
> 
> I want to canvass your opinions here. Which do you prefer:
> 
> No. 1: "Click the ABC button. The XYZ dialog box appears."
> No. 2: "Click the ABC button. The XYZ dialog box will appear."
> 
> I prefer "appears." It's more concise (one word vs. two). Also, "will
> appear" sounds like a future prediction, rather than a 
> statement of what
> occurs. Compare the following:
> 
> "The clouds gather. It rains." 
> "The clouds gather. It will rain."
> 
> Please vote for No. 1 or No. 2. Give reasons for your preference.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Keith
> 
> P.S. BTW, I had a colleague who abhorred the use of the word "appears"
> or "will appear." She said it made the process sound magical
> ("Abracadabra! It appears!") So she would write a sentence like this:
> 
> "The XYZ dialog box is displayed by the software."
> 
> But this is passive voice (if I'm not mistaken; the subject is acted
> upon, rather than acting). So the sentence was then rewritten 
> like this:
> 
> "The software displays the XYZ dialog box."
> 
> However, the subject of our sentence (software) is not really 
> the center
> of our attention here. The center of attention is actually the dialog
> box, which is now shoved to the end of the sentence.
> 
> Personally, I can live with "appears"!
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