Re: Warning about a slow response

["Steven J. Owens" <puff -at- NETCOM -dot- COM>]

Arthur Comings <atc -at- CORTE-MADERA -dot- GEOQUEST -dot- SLB -dot- COM> asked about--
>>   What phrases do you use to gently warn the user that some element of a
>>   program is going to take way too long?
>>
>>   If this were an irreverent enough venue, I'd say, "Now would be a good
>>   time to go out for coffee," or "Push Execute, then go out to lunch
>>   while the program is working." I'd like something more low-key,
>>   though.

Beverly Parks replied:
> Personally, I *like* the "go out for coffee" notices. That type
> of message always make me smile and takes the edge off of the
> fact that I may be waiting longer than I expect.

     I personally think that a little more irreverence would be of
great use in a lot of cases.  I've posted about this before; I think a
certain amount of irreverence and "flavor" is desirable and
all-too-often missing from most modern technical writing - certainly
the software documentation and most of the computer programming books
I've read.  This is why, I think, the "X for Dummies" or "Peter
Norton's Guide to XYZZY" are selling so well.

     Just as an instructor who is personable, lively, occasionally
amusing and generally interesting is better able to capture the
student's attention and imagination, so too should documentation be.
Too many books these days suffer from that corporate self-consciousness
and legalistic second-guessing and CYA, the kind of stuff that results
in flavorless cotton candy.  It doesn't taste bad, but it doesn't taste
good, and you can go through a whole lot of it and still feel like you
haven't eaten anything.

     Ah well.  Most of us work for somebody, and we write to meet their
requirements.

Steven J. Owens
puff -at- netcom -dot- com