RE: Using the conjunction OR in mutually exclusive options

["Dan Goldstein" <DGoldstein -at- riverainmedical -dot- com>]

First option seems clearer to me. It's what we use in our end-user
manuals.


-----Original Message-----
From: Donna McManus
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2011 3:48 PM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Using the conjunction OR in mutually exclusive options

All, I'm just gathering opinion. Feel free to opine away.

I am seeing the use of the conjunction OR in mutually exclusive options
in procedures. This is even given as an example in Microsoft's Manual of
Style (if you have the 3rd version, see p123):

To open a menu:
- Press Alt+the key for the underlined letter in the menu name
    -or-
- Use the LEFT ARROW key or the RIGHT ARROW key to move to another menu

I'm more of the mind to write the procedure as:

Use one of two methods to open a menu:
- Press Alt+the key for the underlined letter in the menu name
- Use the LEFT ARROW key or the RIGHT ARROW key to move to another menu

What is your opinion? I can't quite put my finger on it, but it bugs me
to no end to have to be so explicit that we have to emphasize that two
options are mutually exclusive. Is this more for translation purposes
that Microsoft would recommend this?





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