Use of first, second, and third person in technical writing? (take II)

[Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>]

Ken Nuckols questioned my example of "After you install Microsoft 
FingerMangler(R), instruct users to wear gloves at all times. They must 
not use this evil device barehanded--we can attest to this from 
firsthand experience." <<By the time I reached this point in your post 
I thought "firsthand" experience was a little inappropriate.>>

Of course. I was using a facetious example throughout, and want to make 
this clear: you really don't want to intrude personally ("we can 
attest") in the text in most cases.

<<Wouldn't the testers be on their third, fourth, or fifth hand by the 
time the device testing had reached this stage?>>

Naw. Testers are cheap and expendable. When you run out of domestic 
writers, you can always hire out-of-work engineers. <gdrlh>

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Geoff Hart   ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca
(try geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com if you don't get a reply)
www.geoff-hart.com
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