Re: "Nonsense Text"

[DaveTaylor -at- AOL -dot- COM]

David Dubin writes:

> Another question fellow tech whirlers, do you have any feelings about the
use
> of "nonsense text" to serve as text in an example.

> This is an example of nonsense text:

> In exum fuer des wagol, demp, unz framiz miqqel woddwe
> inu bope parxc frow locqiet.

I don't use nonsense text like your example (unless the client wants it), but
my example text is often nonsensical.  Examples are a good place to add a bit
of humor to tech manuals.  For example:

EXAMPLE MESSAGE

   Bit bucket overflow...call housekeeping.

EXAMPLE MAILING LABEL

   Kermit T. Batrachian
   1019 Lily Pad Lane
   Swamp City FL 12345

I've used both of these examples in manuals.  Even when I use nonsense text,
it often isn't (exactly):

EXAMPLE TEXT

   Certe, Toto, sentio nos in Kansate non iam adesse.

(From _Latin for all Occasions_, by Henry Beard)

Seriously, I would keep examples understandable.  I don't like nonsense text
or "greeking" in examples, unless it REALLY gets in the way of the point the
example is making (and that's unlikely).

Dave
_________________________________________________________________
     ,
   `   ,       David M. Taylor ... The word juggler
    \o_
     #         Freelance writer
    / \        Columbia MD USA          davetaylor -at- aol -dot- com
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