Re: The second person in user guides

[dave kerschbaum <dave -at- smackdabdesign -dot- com>]

'You' is rarely used in the manuals I write and edit. Most of our
manuals are operational/procedural manuals that address more than one
person/position, e.g., the captain does this, then the first officer
does that, etc. But it isn't just the crewmembers and other employees
who read our manuals -- the FAA reads them, too, so they can verify
that our procedures are up to date. Therefore, I write as if I were
documenting the process as opposed to instructing those who will be
performing the process.

-dave.

On 12/2/05, Joe Malin <jmalin -at- tuvox -dot- com> wrote:
> I think that people who want to avoid the second person are afraid of
> communication. What better way to engage the reader than to acknowledge
> him or her? Of course, the "avoiders" may not be eschewing
> obfuscation...
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