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> Anne Robotti wrote:
> >
> > Tom, I respectfully disagree.
--- Kim Roper <kim -dot- roper -at- vitana -dot- com> wrote:
> I agree with Anne. Our products have RCA jacks, BNC connectors, RS-232
> ports ... spelling these things out adds very little value to the
> documentation (and, as with TWAIN, there is some debate about the
> spelling-out of BNC). Now, describing the hardware, what it does and what
> it's compatible with, that's another matter. For example, knowing that RCA
> and BNC can be used for the same kind of video data twigs the user to get
> the right cable rather than stressing about signal compatibility.
And I wouldn't disagree with either of you, as I think writers have to
understand their audiences and the information needs of those audiences. If you
are sure your audiences don't need things spelled out, then by all means don't
annoy them by telling them things they neither need or want. Your readers won't
appreciate you for filling your documents with minutiae.
All I was trying to say, and apparently with a lack of clarity, is both that
you need to be sure you know your audience's needs (as opposed to what seems in
your best interest as a writer) and that if you're not sure don't assume they
know too much.
But you guys seem to know what your audiences need. Writing is about making
these choices and decisions.
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