Re: "Ability" or "allows"

["Mark L. Levinson" <mark -at- MEMCO -dot- CO -dot- IL>]

Tim writes:
But why not "Use this selection to..." or "click here to..."

  ** I agree with those who say "allows" is too weak.  The selection
     allows you to, but so do I and so does the neighbor's cat.  We
     all allow you.  None of us has any objection.

     But there's a bit of a trap in the "use this to" and "click this
     to":  the distinction between the compulsory and the optional may
     be lost.

     Suppose, for example, the reader is following a set of instructions
     and step 5 says "Select A to do the A thing.  Select B to do the
     B thing."  The reader may not know whether there's the option of
     doing neither, whether there's the option of doing both, or what.
     Of course, context is all.  I may be a little oversensitive because
     one of our manuals once came back from a contractor with every
     instance of "You can" and "If you want" deleted...

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