RE: active vs. passive voice

[Elaine <culross77 -at- msn -dot- com>]

Nice discussion. I looked up activate. The word "open" shows up a lot.
 
I like "opens." Why? I like it because it is common usage. I open or close a window. 
In the old days, I opened a newspaper. Now, I type a URL and I open a News site. "Opens" comes closest to the truth. What really happens when I type a URL? I send a message. 
My message activates an existing set of code. When the computer hosting that code receives my message, a site opens. 
My message (my action, typing the URL) activates the code that opens the site. Action conveys the truth better.  
 
Thanks for all the comments!
 Elaine Elaine Logan
 
 
 

> From: docudoc -at- hotmail -dot- com> To: mronquillo -at- equitrac -dot- com; michelle_vina-baltsas -at- datascope -dot- com; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Subject: RE: active vs. passive voice> Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:53:53 -0400> > > Michael Ronquillo wrote:> > Why not use the word shown instead? > > > > I personally hate displayed as it reminds me of a store putting an item> > on display. My thinking is that shown or appears is better. Shown may be> > quite informal whereas appears could be formal.> > If the objective is to avoid the passive voice, changing from "is displayed"> to "is shown" doesn't do the job. And when I read "shown" in a document,> I tend to start looking for an figure *in the document*, not a window on > the monitor. > > But the real issue is whether it is necessary to eliminate the passive > voice in all cases. And here I add my voice to others who say that thepassive voice is not incorrect and may be perfectly appropriate in many> cases when writing about software application when it is completely > irrelevant to the task at hand to know what entity is performing the > action being described.> > -Fred Ridder> _________________________________________________________________> Watch “Cause Effect,” a show about real people making a real difference. Learn more.> http://im.live.com/Messenger/IM/MTV/?source=text_watchcause> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> > 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> > True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.> Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical> documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com> > ---> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as culross77 -at- msn -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/culross77%40msn.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.> 
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