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Seriously OT and not allowed by Eric - usage rant?
Subject:Seriously OT and not allowed by Eric - usage rant? From:"Hart, Geoff" <Geoff-H -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 10 Dec 2001 08:57:20 -0500
Ellen Vanrenen reports: <<I'm just complaining. No one answer me, certainly
not on list.>>
I don't think that I ever saw your original question, but a small tip: next
time, ask the question so it isn't explitly a style question, or so that it
directly addresses a techwhirling question. For example: "How do I emphasize
menu names or keyboard commands in running text without using really
intrusive measures such as boldface? I've seen people use Courier and other
fonts, but that's a lot of work. Any other ideas?" That's a perfectly
reasonable techwr-l question.
<<I am going through the Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical
Publications. I understood this to be the bible, the actual word of the
Industry, and I am studying, studying, studying.>>
Microsoft publishes _a_ bible, not _the_ Bible--likely the metaphorical
equivalent of the King James version, and thus not even remotely the only
bible in circulation. Building on this metaphor, I'd note that a huge
(majority) proportion of your audience doesn't read that particular Bible:
they read the Koran, the Torah, and many other "bibles" from other
religions. And before this particular metaphor becomes offensive, let me
turn it far more literal: First, Microsoft publishes only one of many style
guides, and not a particularly good one from all I've seen and read about
it; you might be considerably happier with Sun's guide ("Read me first").
Second, the key word in Microsoft's title is "guide": note that not even
Microsoft considers their style guide to be a rulebook that must be obeyed,
and that's true of all style guide authors. Use a style guide for
_guidance_, not to _overrule_ your own common sense.
<<I can't see a consistent use in it of italicizing a word or putting it in
quotations.>>
So what was the original question? I could run off at the mouth for several
paragraphs about the uses of italics and quotations, but it might be more
productive to answer your actual question.
--Geoff Hart, FERIC, Pointe-Claire, Quebec
geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
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