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RE: Using the conjunction OR in mutually exclusive options
Subject:RE: Using the conjunction OR in mutually exclusive options From:"Porrello, Leonard" <lporrello -at- illumina -dot- com> To:'Richard L Hamilton' <dick -at- rlhamilton -dot- net>, Techwr-l <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Thu, 8 Sep 2011 20:42:37 +0000
I agree with Richard and Dan and would add that, along with clarity, the first form scans more quickly. That is, it takes less time for me to figure out what the step is about. Of course, you can fix this issue by rewording the introductory sentence. Instead of " Use one of two methods to open a menu," you can write, "Open a menu using one of two methods".
Leonard
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+lporrello=illumina -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lporrello=illumina -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Richard L Hamilton
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2011 1:20 PM
To: Techwr-l
Subject: Re: Using the conjunction OR in mutually exclusive options
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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