Re: Trademark Question

[Ronni Geist <ronni -at- GEISTWRITERS -dot- COM>]

Roger -

Thanks for substantiating this! As I said...
        Microsoft does not always adhere to Microsoft's guidelines.

Oops...perhaps that should have been "...to the guidelines set forth by
Microsoft." (Wouldn't want to use the possessive form here, now would
I?)   ;-)

Ronni


=====

Roger Mallett wrote:
>
> Got my curiosity up.  So I got my shovel out and dug a little, and look
> what I found right near the surface:
>
> Microsoft's help file VBA_ACC.HLP, contains the following statement:
>
>                 "Setting Microsoft Excel's Visible property . . ." .
>
> The statement is located in the topic "Working Across Applications"
> topic
>
> ---------------------
> Roger Mallett
> Control Systems
> (714) 458-5040 x 239
>
> >----------
> >From:  Ronni Geist[SMTP:ronni -at- GEISTWRITERS -dot- COM]
> >Sent:  Thursday, April 02, 1998 2:30 PM
> >To:    TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> >Subject:       Re: Trademark Question
> >
> >
> >Richard Frederick wrote:
> >
> >> >
> >> >    "Do not use the possessive form of a product name or a product's
> >> >     feature name. For example, do not use 'toolbar's buttons' or
> >> >     'PowerPoint's File menu'; instead, use 'toolbar buttons' and
> >> >     'the PowerPoint File menu.'"
> >                Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications
> >                © 1995, Microsoft Press, page 190
> >
> >
> >> First of all I ask if Microsoft is setting legal standards, as was
> >>implied, or
> >> if they are simply stating their style preference?
> >
> >I cannot speak for Microsoft; however, I **believe** that the intent of
> >their style manual is to provide guidelines for clarity and consistency
> >for writers and editors. And, generally speaking, this makes a lot of
> >sense.
> >
> >Whether everyone follows these "guidelines" is, indeed, another
> >question. I  have noticed that some of the so-called standards in this
> >guide are not adhered to in Microsoft's online help!
> >
> >
> >> Secondly, aren't we getting back into that "Use 'the' in front of a proper
> >> noun" question again? Besides, "PowerPoint's" and "toolbar's" are used as
> >> adjectives. Only if it is "PowerPoint File Menu" is it a noun phrase.
> >
> >I wasn't trying to go back there...my intent was only to respond to
> >E,T,
> >Hull's questions: "Why is this a no-no? And who says so?"
> >
> >
> >Whether you take the word of Microsoft as gospel is your decision!  ;-)
> >
> >
> >Ronni
> >
> >
> >Ms. Ronni Geist
> >GeistWriters
> >914.353.EDIT
> >ronni -at- geistwriters -dot- com
> >
> >
> >~~~
> >
> >