Re: You Use 'you'?

["Arlen P. Walker" <arlen -dot- walker -at- JCI -dot- COM>]

>This is the type of issue where the comfort of writers should
>take a back seat to the needs of readers.

Pam, in principle I agree, as long you keep the should in that statement
and not make it a must. Remember, we're living in the real world. Like
their audiences, writers are human. If a given writer is not confortable
with a writing style imposed from without, there are three options:

A) Write it in that style anyway, and end up doing it badly because you
just can't get into the flow of the document.

B) Write it the best way you know how, and be prepared to justify your
choices (and suffer for them, possibly leading to C).

C) Find another job.

There are serious flaws in each of these options. As a manager, I think I'd
prefer B (but then I'm a renegade by nature) although A has its appeal also
(on the theory that practice will improve the writer's ability to write in
second person on the next project). But the bottom line is I think I'd
prefer non-conforming documentation which was well done to conforming
documentation done badly.

Have Fun,
Arlen

arlen -dot- walker -at- jci -dot- com
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