Re: Instructions to "Be Patient" from a Machine

[Bev Parks <bparks -at- HUACHUCA-EMH1 -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL>]

  To my comments--
    I don't see much difference between "Be patient" and "Please
    wait." Just as someone may be put off by a machine suggesting a
    mental state, I may be put off by a machine asking me to wait.
    Unless I'm patient by nature, I may not *want* to wait. ;-)

  Robert Plamondon responded--
   >There are two basic differences:
    1. "Be patient" is a command, "Please wait" is a request.

Okay, then "*Please* be patient." Now it's a request.  :-)

   >2. While you "may not want to wait," it's clear from context that
       waiting is necessary to complete the task you've initiated.
       But at least the machine isn't demanding that you wait
       PATIENTLY.  It's just pointing out that, to complete the task
       that you've told it to do, there's some waiting involved.  You
       can be just as impatient as you want.  The machine doesn't
       care. (Even if it did care, a polite machine would pretend
       not to notice.)

Of course, the machines tend to take on the personality of their
owners. So if I was impatient and my machine noticed, it would
probably make obscene noises or something.

(Just an example. I'm very patient and my machine is very well
mannered.)

Bev

P.S. BTW, if you happen to reply and don't get a response, I'm
not ignoring you! I'll be away from my polite machine until next
Friday.

=*= Beverly Parks =*= bparks -at- huachuca-emh1 -dot- army -dot- mil =*=
 =*= "These opinions are mine, not my employer's." =*=
  =*=                     =*=                     =*=