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Subject:RE: active vs. passive voice From:Elaine <culross77 -at- msn -dot- com> To:"Leonard C. Porrello" <leonard -dot- porrello -at- soleratec -dot- com>, <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:55:05 -0600
Does your mind open from top to bottom, right to left, or left to right?
Elaine Logan
> Subject: RE: active vs. passive voice> Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:45:13 -0700> From: Leonard -dot- Porrello -at- SoleraTec -dot- com> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> > Does it open from top to bottom, right to left, or left to right?> > > > Leonard C. Porrello> > SoleraTec LLC> > www.soleratec.com> > > > > > ________________________________> > From: Elaine [mailto:culross77 -at- msn -dot- com] > Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 11:39 AM> To: Leonard C. Porrello; techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Subject: RE: active vs. passive voice> > > > > I can also think of two other options:> > > > (B) "1. Click <New Entry>. The New Entry window will appear."> > I beg to differ. The Cheshire cat appears. Windows open.> > Cheers,> > Elaine Logan> > > > > ________________________________> > > Subject: RE: active vs. passive voice> > Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:31:19 -0700> > From: Leonard -dot- Porrello -at- SoleraTec -dot- com> > To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> > > > I think this is where Geoff's construction would be better:> > > > (A) "1. Click <New Entry> to open the New Entry window." > > > > I can also think of two other options:> > > > (B) "1. Click <New Entry>. The New Entry window will appear."> > > > Or > > > > (C) "1. To open the New Entry window, click <New Entry>."> > > > It all depends on how you want to orient the reader. (A) is nice and> > compact. (B) is very simple and provides a nice segue to a screen> shot.> > (C) lets the reader know what he is about to do before he does it. Of> > course, (C) is probably more appropriate when the user is about to> > execute a step that would be difficult to undo.> > > > (Note, <New Entry> would be an image of the button.)> > > > Leonard C. Porrello> > SoleraTec LLC> > www.soleratec.com> > > > > > > > -----Original Message-----> > From:> techwr-l-bounces+leonard -dot- porrello=soleratec -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> >> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+leonard -dot- porrello=soleratec -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- c> > om] On Behalf Of Bastette> > Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 11:17 AM> > To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> > Subject: Re: active vs. passive voice> > > > On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 11:24:24AM -0400, Suzette Leeming wrote:> > > > > My opinion...> > > > > > "is displayed" is passive, but as others have stated, often> > acceptable.> > > "displays" is unacceptable because it is a transitive verb.> > > "displays a list of blah blah blah" is acceptable.> > > "appears" is acceptable but not my favourite.> > > "opens" is preferred when referring to windows (as in "the report> > criteria> > > window opens").> > > > What about "This {displays/opens/brings up} the XYZ {window/dialog> > box}",> > where "this" is the action described in the previous (or same)> > instruction.> > > > Eg:> > > > 1. Click on the New Entry button. This opens the New Entry window> > (dialog,> > etc).> > > > 2. ...> > > > Any objections to that?> > > > Joyce> > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> > > > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> > > > 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.> > > > ________________________________> > In a rush? Get real-time answers with Windows Live Messenger.> <http://www.windowslive.com/messenger/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Re> fresh_realtime_042008> > > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> > 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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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
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