RE: Re(2): I suppose this is my most frustrating grammar error

["Gordon Graham" <gordon -at- gordonandgordon -dot- com>]

Much as I hate to give Microsoft credit for doing something RIGHT, their
Manual of Style for Technical Publications has clearly saved the world a lot
of dithering over what to call certain items in their ubiquitous software.

I have bought two editions and I will happily buy the next when it comes
out. I use it as a REFERENCE book to see what Microsoft calls the various
geehaws in their interfaces. I don't use it as a manual of style, or for any
advice on how to write a sentence, no matter what the blurb on the back
cover says.

I don't judge SF paperbacks by the painting on their covers, either, because
a lot of the time the artists were never even shown the manuscript. ;-)


==============================
 Gordon Graham, partner
 Gordon & Gordon
---------------------------------------
 (514) 488-1875
 www.gordonandgordon.com
==============================


-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-techwr-l-62169 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
[mailto:bounce-techwr-l-62169 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com]On Behalf Of Jan Henning
Sent: March 1, 2002 11:16 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Re(2): I suppose this is my most frustrating grammar error


>It is not presented as How The World Should Write.

Well, the second edition says on both the front and the back cover "The
standard reference for technical writers, editors, journalists, and
everyone else who writes about computing."

This is awfully close to presenting it as How The World Should Write
About Computers. (And not just regarding style either: To amuse yourself,
check the article on "navigate".)

They write it, they sell it, they claim to be the standard. They clearly
claim the book to be a guideline for externals, not just for their own
writers, so they have to accept the responsibility if they write
substandard stuff, as they apparently do with "data".

Regards
Jan Henning




^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Now's a great time to buy RoboHelp! You'll get SnagIt screen capture
software and a $200 onsite training voucher FREE when you buy RoboHelp
Office or RoboHelp Enterprise. Hurry, this offer expires February 28, 2002. www.ehelp.com/techwr

Have you looked at the new content on TECHWR-L lately?
See http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ and check it out.

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot-  Visit 
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.