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I'll mull this one over while I figure out how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. ;-)
-----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 Brian -dot- Henderson -at- mitchell1 -dot- com
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 9:21 AM
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: future tense vs present tense
How about if the intent is to inform that it's a side-effect of pressing ENTER that changes will be saved? But that the primary purpose of the ENTER pressing is something else entirely? Does it then become appropriate?
I know it's a somewhat farfetched scenario, but that's kind of the sense I got reading the original example.
-Brian H.
-----Original Message----- From: Leonard Porrello
I'm not sure why, in instructions, you would ever say, "After you press ENTER...." Instead wouldn't you want to use an imperative: "Press ENTER." From that, "changes are saved" or "the application saves your changes" follows. And as Dan suggests, "Press ENTER to save your changes" would be best.
I would use the future perfect only in introductory material, a theory of operation doc, or requirements documentation. I can see no place for it in step by step instructions.
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