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I wonder if it's a leftover from typewriter days. One through ten would
be the most commonly typed numbers, and spelling them out would keep a
typist's fingers in the three rows of the keyboard to which they were
accustomed.
[/total guess]
Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: Leonard C. Porrello [mailto:Leonard -dot- Porrello -at- SoleraTec -dot- com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 10:06 AM
To: Chris Vickery; Sean Brierley; TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: What's 1 to do?
Does anyone know why we spell out one through ten?
Leonard
-----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 Chris Vickery
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 10:00 AM
To: Sean Brierley; TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: What's 1 to do?
In my experience, the standard for paper documents is still to write out
one through ten, while the standard for web writing, which emphasizes
quick comprehension for the reader, is to use only numbers. Of course,
that's a bit of a dilemma when you're single-sourcing content for a help
system and PDF manuals.
On the web, you've got grab the attention of your reader and get your
point across quickly. After all, they can click over to Bananaphone or
Badger Badger Badger whenever they like. When someone's reading a
printed manual, you have their undivided attention.
Long live the new flesh
Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+cvickery=arenasolutions -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+cvickery=arenasolutions -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]
On Behalf Of Sean Brierley
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 6:00 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: What's 1 to do?
I recommend sticking by a style guide, whether it's Chicago 14 or some
other reference text plus your own set of rules.
Cheers,
Sean
___________
Sean Brierley
Technical Writer
www.accu-time.com
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+sbrierley=accu-time -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
I've observed an alarming tendency for the numbers 0 through 10 to be
presented as digits, rather than as written-out numbers. Stylebooks (AP
is the one I remember best without looking anything up) invariably
recommended not using digits for those small numbers except when
appropriate, as in scientific work. Now as I read articles on the web,
supposedly professionally written, I come across lonesome digits in what
feels like 2 out of every 5 cases. It looks stupid to me. Have the rules
changed while I wasn't looking?
When the hurlyburly's done,
When the battle's lost and 1.
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