Re: Using the conjunction OR in mutually exclusive options

[Richard L Hamilton <dick -at- rlhamilton -dot- net>]

I agree with Dan.

There are situations where the use of "or" is not mutually exclusive or is ambiguous (gee, this sentence may be one:-), but your example seems unambiguously exclusive to me.

Richard Hamilton
XML Press
http://xmlpress.net
On Sep 8, 2011, at 12:52 PM, Dan Goldstein wrote:

> 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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