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To address an issue:
Is to look at the issue, decide on what to do with it, and then do that.
It may be a fix, it may be a workaround, it may be pushed back to a later release.
Ie, direct efforts towards that issue.
Nowhere does address mean "fix."
~ Heather
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+heather -dot- anderson=cubrc -dot- org -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+heather -dot- anderson=cubrc -dot- org -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of McLauchlan, Kevin
Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 9:55 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Address this. . .
All,
I'm getting push-back on some standard language in our Release Notes.
In the list of issues/bugs that are not being fixed for the current
release, we say "To be addressed in a future release".
We carefully don't even say "next" release.
But the problem is the word "addressed".
Some customer has decided that "To be addressed in a future release"
means "...an explicit prmise that the issue is to be fixed exactly how I want it".
I have labored under the illusion that to "address" something
is to turn your attention to it. To pick it up and make a
decision, and _possibly_ act on it.
So, as far as _I_ am concerned, we "address" issues by deferring them,
by delaying them, by deciding that they are not worth doing, and even
by deciding to FIX something... and fixing it. But, as far as I'm
concerned, as a native English speaker, all of those other practices
are ALSO, just as validly, "addressing" the issues.
It's like prayer (if one is religious):
God always answers prayers.
Sometimes the answer is no.
Please tell me what you believe is meant by "to address something".
- Kevin
PS: "The customer is always right" is not a helpful response.
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