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Subject:Re: "Help On Line" or "Online Help"? From:Smokey Lynne L Bare <slbare -at- JUNO -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 19 Nov 1997 09:54:35 -0500
On Wed, 19 Nov 1997 11:06:47 +0100 Alessandro Bottoni <albo -at- CADLAB -dot- IT>
writes:
>Our management is imposing us to use "Online Help" in our
>documentation but
>I doubt it was right.
>
>Which is the right one?
>1) Online Help
>2) On Line Help
>3) Help Online
>4) Help On Line
************************************
May I suggest number 1. I had to create a style spell guide for a major
corporation three years ago. As I had to technically justify each
spelling (by three references from the lines of business where the words
were used), the results for online was it was one word. When the words
were added to the list, 'just cause' had to be provided to the tech
writing team for each style call, very much like a dissertation defense.
At least, that is what it felt like to me as the messenger of this task.
In your particular case, online is an adjective for the noun (feature)
HELP. It could be WinHELP, or any other flavor of help. Therefore, it
should precede the noun in my humble opinion.
