RE: Grammar - The Gotcha Microsoft Gives

[Tim -dot- Slager -at- aciworldwide -dot- com]

There is, however, that unnerving association: the only other people 
called users are consumers of illicit drugs.

Tim Slager
Tech Pubs
T 616.494.1373

ACI Worldwide, 8436 Homestead Drive, Ste. 100, Zeeland, MI 49464, USA

www.aciworldwide.com 



From:
"Combs, Richard" <richard -dot- combs -at- Polycom -dot- com>
To:
"mattgras -at- comcast -dot- net" <mattgras -at- comcast -dot- net>
Cc:
"techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date:
09/08/2011 12:08 PM
Subject:
RE: Grammar - The Gotcha Microsoft Gives
Sent by:
techwr-l-bounces+tim -dot- slager=aciworldwide -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com



mattgras -at- comcast -dot- net wrote:
 
> You miss my drift.

No, I don't. I'm all too familiar with your drift; I just reject it. 
 
> I am a person.

Is that all? And only that? You're never a writer, reader, a driver, a 
buyer, ... ? In your documents, when you have to refer to someone other 
than the reader, do you always and exclusively refer to them as "a person" 
with no other identifying information? 
 
> I am not a "user," a "customer," or a "consumer."

You are when you use, buy, or consume something. 
 
> All those terms present me in relation to products or services, and
> regard me as a cog in a corporate machine.

They present you in relation to the things you use, buy, and consume. Or 
are you living in an ethereal world where you don't actually interact with 
_things_? 

They present you as an _actor_, suggesting volition and control, and thus 
as the _opposite_ of a cog. 
 
> This is, I think, a major problem in our world and one of the reasons
> why profits are more highly regarded than people.

Oh, puh-leez. 


Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Polycom, Inc.
richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
303-223-5111
------
rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
303-903-6372
------







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