active vs. passive voice

[Leonard C. Porrello]

Does it open from top to bottom, right to left, or left to right?

 

Leonard C. Porrello

SoleraTec LLC

www.soleratec.com

 

 

________________________________

From: Elaine [mailto:culross77 at msn.com] 
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 11:39 AM
To: Leonard C. Porrello; techwr-l at lists.techwr-l.com
Subject: RE: active vs. passive voice

 

> I can also think of two other options:
> 
> (B) "1. Click <New Entry>. The New Entry window will appear."

I beg to differ. The Cheshire cat appears. Windows open.
 
Cheers,

Elaine Logan
 



________________________________

> Subject: RE: active vs. passive voice
> Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:31:19 -0700
> From: Leonard.Porrello at SoleraTec.com
> To: techwr-l at lists.techwr-l.com
> 
> I think this is where Geoff's construction would be better:
> 
> (A) "1. Click <New Entry> to open the New Entry window." 
> 
> I can also think of two other options:
> 
> (B) "1. Click <New Entry>. The New Entry window will appear."
> 
> Or 
> 
> (C) "1. To open the New Entry window, click <New Entry>."
> 
> It all depends on how you want to orient the reader. (A) is nice and
> compact. (B) is very simple and provides a nice segue to a screen
shot.
> (C) lets the reader know what he is about to do before he does it. Of
> course, (C) is probably more appropriate when the user is about to
> execute a step that would be difficult to undo.
> 
> (Note, <New Entry> would be an image of the button.)
> 
> Leonard C. Porrello
> SoleraTec LLC
> www.soleratec.com
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
techwr-l-bounces+leonard.porrello=soleratec.com at lists.techwr-l.com
>
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+leonard.porrello=soleratec.com at lists.techwr-l.c
> om] On Behalf Of Bastette
> Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 11:17 AM
> To: techwr-l at lists.techwr-l.com
> Subject: Re: active vs. passive voice
> 
> On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 11:24:24AM -0400, Suzette Leeming wrote:
> 
> > My opinion...
> > 
> > "is displayed" is passive, but as others have stated, often
> acceptable.
> > "displays" is unacceptable because it is a transitive verb.
> > "displays a list of blah blah blah" is acceptable.
> > "appears" is acceptable but not my favourite.
> > "opens" is preferred when referring to windows (as in "the report
> criteria
> > window opens").
> 
> What about "This {displays/opens/brings up} the XYZ {window/dialog
> box}",
> where "this" is the action described in the previous (or same)
> instruction.
> 
> Eg:
> 
> 1. Click on the New Entry button. This opens the New Entry window
> (dialog,
> etc).
> 
> 2. ...
> 
> Any objections to that?
> 
> Joyce
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