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Jennifer Blom wondered: <<I am currently rewriting a manual where the
favourite word is "way". As in, there are two different ways, three
different ways, this way, that way....etc. It is a printer solution
manual and I am unsure if this is the correct technical word to use in
a situation describing two separate paths you can take (can't use
path). I might add that these are "english as second language" manuals
and I want the easiest, most understandable word that is functionally
correct.>>
I can't tell you what your readers are most familiar with, but existing
documentation can certainly help by telling you what they have already
read and thus, should be familiar with.
In any event, "way" is perfectly idiomatic English if the sense is "you
can accomplish this task in three ways". If you find that there are too
many "ways" in the text, try other wordings. For example, "You have
three options [followed by a list]", "You can accomplish this task by:
1, 2, 3" (where 1, 2, and 3 are the options), and so on. If there is
any reason to prefer one solution over another, explain that reason to
provide context. For example, "If you are working on a network, do it
this way. If you are working without being connected to a network, do
it this [another] way."
In some cases, you may find that you shouldn't be offering every
possible solution, and that there is only one efficient, broadly
applicable way to accomplish something. In that case, present only that
one way, then (if necessary or useful), list the others ways with an
introductory note. For example: "If these steps didn't work, try this
[option 2].... If that didn't work, try this [option 3]...." And so on.
The goal is to give the average reader a simple solution that doesn't
require them to choose between multiple options (indeed, that doesn't
require them to read all those options), while still supplementing that
preferred solution with alternatives if the first solution didn't work
for whatever reason or doesn't fit with the user's context.
<<Would it be better to use route? Direction?>>
Neither would be a good choice, since they're fairly indirect
(metaphorical) ways to say "way". I suspect that your French readers
working in English would have more luck with these terms than most
other readers. (Speaking as a French translator.)
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