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Subject:Re: Can software have human attributes? From:SteveFJong -at- aol -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 26 Jul 2001 09:16:37 EDT
I think the example, "The program sits and waits for the next active result
in the queue," would make an excellent addition to a style guide as an
example of anthropormorphism.
In every sentence there must be a verb, and in this one "waits" seems
perfectly serviceable. Note that a software engineer might object, because
"wait" implies lack of activity, and actually the program is actively and
repeatedly polling--there's another verb!--the next active request in the
queue. But in my opinion that's usually an unnecessary detail that only adds
jargon. (We don't care about the wait loop, either 8^)
"Sits and waits," though, is not only less than concise, it crosses the line
into attributing human characteristics to an inanimate object. How do you
know the program is sitting? Maybe it's pacing nervously? Maybe it's on it's
haunches? Does it even have haunches? No? What's it sitting on, then? The
whole line of thought is best avoided 8^)
-- Steve
Steven Jong, Documentation Team Manager (Typo? What tpyo?)
Lightbridge, Inc., 67 South Bedford St., Burlington, MA 01803 USA mailto:jong -at- lightbridge -dot- com -dot- nospam 781.359.4902 [voice]
Home Sweet Homepage: http://hometown.aol.com/SteveFJong
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