Re: "Appears" vs. "will appear"

[Janice Gelb <janice -dot- gelb -at- sun -dot- com>]

Sarah Bouchier wrote:
>> Use appears in other sentences and perhaps you will have the desire to
>> append, "as if by magic" or "out of nowhere."
> 
> 'Open the can of tuna.  A cat appears.'
> 
> I have now thought about this issue until my brain hurts.  I think the
> basic problem is that, unlike almost everything else in life, the
> window/dialog box really /does/ just appear.
> 
> If you unwrap a bar of chocolate, the chocolate doesn't 'appear'; it has
> been revealed by you opening it.  If you shout for a friend to come and
> help you they don't 'appear'; they  have been summoned from where they
> were by your shouting.  It's all entirely predictable cause and effect.
> If you click on a button in an application, however, you have no way of
> predicting that a dialog window will turn up on your screen.  It wasn't
> hidden behind the button, it wasn't summoned from another place.  It
> appeared.  Out of nowhere.  As if by magic.
> 

I've never understood this argument. The dialog
box appears as a result of your clicking the
button. Why is that "magic"? It's the entirely
predictable result of an action. Even if the
reader never knew, and couldn't predict from
looking at it, that clicking the button will
cause a dialog box to appear, you're telling
the reader that it will, and it does. Nothing
magical about it. Click button, see dialog box.
Rinse and repeat.

-- Janice

***********************************************************
Janice Gelb          | The only connection Sun has with
janice -dot- gelb -at- sun -dot- com  | this message is the return address
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

Now shipping: Help & Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
to 106 languages with Help & Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.