TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Use of a slash (/) From:"Arlen P. Walker" <arlen -dot- walker -at- JCI -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 25 May 1994 13:46:26 -0500
Karen asserts:
>You wrote:
>>Because the slash is not a
>>word, it's disruptive to the reading process and slows people down.
>This doesn't make sense to me. (That symbols would be read differently
>from text.) I guess I'm generalizing from my experiences of reading
>Japanese and Chinese. You read the meaning of the item from the shape.
>I mean, you've just provided a reason for not including any graphics in
>a document, which I don't think anyone would advocate!
But a graphic conveys more information in a smaller space and makes it
easier to understand (if it doesn't, then it shouldn't be there).
Therefore, while it's true it breaks the rhythm of reading, the short delay
it causes is more than made up for by the quantity and quality of
information transmitted. The slash, however, conveys little extra
information, so provides no compensation for the delay it causes.
Have Fun,
Arlen
arlen -dot- walker -at- jci -dot- com
---------------------------------------------------
This mail message contains 100% recycled electrons
---------------------------------------------------
