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Re: Seriously OT and not allowed by Eric - usage rant
Subject:Re: Seriously OT and not allowed by Eric - usage rant From:Mike Stockman <stockman -at- jagunet -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 7 Dec 2001 20:09:00 -0500
On 12/07/2001 5:14 PM, Ellen Vanrenen
(ellen -dot- vanrenen -at- clear-technology -dot- com) wrote:
>Try as I might, even referring to other reference books like The Gregg
>Reference Manual, I can't see a consistent use in it of italicizing a word
>or putting it in quotations.
>If they don't know when to do it correctly, how am I supposed to know?
>The book is seriously inconsistent.
You've mostly answered your own question, by repeatedly mentioning
inconsistency. Your users don't care what Gregg, Microsoft, Chicago, or
any other manual of style says. They care that you choose a readable,
accessible method of conveying information, and that you *stick to it
consistently.*
And if you still can't decide on a method of emphasizing or any other
stylistic issue, send me all of the choices and I'll pick one at random
for you. Then follow it consistently, and you'll be fine.
Hope this helps,
----->Mike
________________________________________________________________
stockman -at- jagunet -dot- com -- AOL and AOL Instant Messenger:MStockman
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