TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
I asked about the use of the future tense in instructions.
Summary: most (in fact ALL) of the list members who replied are
for using the present tense when writing instructions. Unless I missed
somebody.
Narrative: A few months ago, I went to 'Speedy Muffler' to fix the
muffler on my truck. As a courtesy, after the muffler the
mechanics: checked my windshield wipers and cleaned
my windshield.
Now, I'm driving down the road, with a quiet muffler, &
I am seeing things I never noticed before!
So, not only am I now discovering the future tense ALL OVER my current
document, I'm discovering lots of other errors I'd overlooked, "you"
mistyped for "your," dangling
participles, misplaced modifiers, and so on ...
